Latest news with #IDEM
Chicago Tribune
12-06-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
IDEM board approves draft plan for NWI pollution rule
Northwest Indiana residents and activists voiced concerns about an Indiana Department of Environmental Management air pollution rule at a Wednesday hearing, but it didn't deter the Indiana Environmental Rules Board from approving a draft plan for new nitrogen oxide pollution rules for Lake and Porter counties. IDEM has to approve the draft rule before it's sent to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for approval. According to IDEM documents, the rule adds to the reasonably available control technologies for nitrogen oxide emissions. RACTs are required on existing sources in areas that aren't meeting national ambient air quality standards, according to the EPA. On Oct. 17, 2023, the EPA determined that Indiana 'failed to submit NOx RACT for major stationary sources' in Lake and Porter counties, according to IDEM documents. Eleven sources, including U.S. Steel and Cleveland-Cliffs, will be affected by the NOx rules. Affected sources release more than 100 tons of any pollutant per year into Lake and Porter counties, according to IDEM. 'IDEM worked extensively with the owner or operator of each affected source and U.S. EPA to ensure that the state remains in compliance with the Clean Air Act while avoiding overly burdensome requirements on these sources,' said agency documents. IDEM held a public hearing during its Wednesday meeting, allowing residents and activists to speak on the rule draft. Participants could speak in-person in Indianapolis or online via Microsoft Teams. Regional activism organizations, including Just Transition Northwest Indiana, allege that the draft is flawed and does not make enough of an effort to curb pollution and improve public health. Susan Thomas, director of policy and press for Just Transition Northwest Indiana, said Wednesday that the rule just adds insult to injury for residents in Lake and Porter counties. Thomas and other activists would like to see a transition to cleaner steel and ironmaking, such as through electric arc furnaces and direct reduced iron, which would use hydrogen instead of natural gas. Multiple speakers mentioned that Cleveland-Cliffs is converting to direct reduction at its Middletown, Ohio, plant, but Yahoo Finance reported this week that Cleveland-Cliffs has canceled its $500 million hydrogen-powered steel project 'due to concerns about not having enough clean hydrogen supply.' Some speakers mentioned frustrations with U.S. Steel's Gary Works facility, claiming pollution from the facility has contributed to a high incidence of health risks such as asthma and heart problems. Wanda Torres, a Gary resident, spoke at IDEM's Wednesday meeting. Torres said she's been living in Gary and near the steel mill for more than 50 years, and she's concerned about how it's impacted her health. Torres also mentioned that people say Gary has a different smell because of the pollution, and the air can be hazy. 'People from different areas come to Gary, they work here, and then they go back to their areas,' Torres said. 'This is my place, this is my home, this is my land. Why can't people understand that they're killing us and treating us like we're dispensable?' An October report from Industrious Labs found that most residents in Gary are in the top 10% of U.S. residents most at-risk for developing asthma and at-risk of low life expectancy. In 2020, Indiana had a lung cancer rate of 72.5 per 100,000 people, with Lake County as one of the state's counties with the highest cancer mortality rates, according to the American Lung Association. A 2016 report from the JAMA Network also found Gary as one of the five U.S. cities with the lowest life expectancy at one point. U.S. Steel responded to the concerns in a Wednesday statement. 'U.S. Steel continues to meet our environmental obligations and adheres to the limits set forth in our operating permit,' the company's statement said. 'Environmental excellence is a top priority for the dedicated employees at all of our facilities, and we are always working to improve our processes and invest in technologies that will help us meet that goal. We also continue to work collaboratively with IDEM and other agencies to comply with our permit requirements.' Hilary Lewis, steel director for Industrious Labs, also spoke at Wednesday's meeting. Lewis encourages steel industries and environmental agencies to look at cleaner alternatives for mills. 'I really want to emphasize to the committee that there's a lot of opportunity to clean up steelmaking in Northwest Indiana, and help achieve not only compliance with existing laws, but protect public health and improve the economy,' Lewis said. Terry Steagall, a Highland resident and retired steelworker, asked IDEM to take residents' concerns seriously. Steagall said steel mills aren't his only worry in the area, and he mentioned that data centers could also negatively impact Northwest Indiana. 'We're going to have to look into renewable energy, but we're also going to have a problem with that because data centers want to come in and take our energy,' Steagall said. 'We've been here for over 100 years, and we want another 100 years, but we've got to do it in a different way with new technology.'
Newsweek
07-06-2025
- Automotive
- Newsweek
One Million Drivers Told To Avoid Gas Stations
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Indiana residents are being advised to minimize visits to gas stations today as smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to worsen air quality across the state. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) has extended an Air Quality Action Day through Saturday; fine particulate levels are reaching unhealthy thresholds, particularly in northern, northeastern, and northwestern regions, as reported by WNDU, potentially affecting at least a million people. Newsweek contacted IDEM for comment via email on Saturday. Why It Matters EPA reports that Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are chemicals that easily evaporate into the air and are released from sources like petrol stations, vehicle exhaust, paints, and industrial processes. At gas stations, VOCs escape during refueling and contribute to air pollution even with vapor recovery systems in place. When VOCs react with nitrogen oxides (NOx) in sunlight, they form ground-level ozone—a major component of smog, the United States Environmental Protection Agency reports. EPA advises that this ozone can aggravate asthma, trigger respiratory symptoms, and harm people with existing heart or lung conditions. File photo: The price of gasoline is displayed on a pump at a gas station on March 6, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. File photo: The price of gasoline is displayed on a pump at a gas station on March 6, 2025 in Chicago, To Know The smoke originates from over 200 wildfires burning across Canada, as reported by the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center, with plumes stretching thousands of miles and affecting air quality throughout the U.S. Midwest. In some areas, air-quality indexes have reached levels deemed "very unhealthy," prompting widespread advisories. Reducing vehicle emissions can help mitigate ozone formation during such alerts. Residents are encouraged to limit driving, avoid refueling vehicles during daylight hours, and postpone the use of gasoline-powered equipment. To reduce pollution and protect public health, it is recommended to avoid gas stations during air-quality alerts or refueling in the evening, when ozone formation is less likely. As reported by Newsweek, at least two people have died and tens of thousands have been evacuated in Canada as a result of the blazes. WDNU reported that the following cities in Indiana will be most affected by the air quality: North Central Indiana: Including the cities of Elkhart, Goshen, Knox, Logansport, Plymouth, Peru, South Bend, Warsaw, Winamac, and all other cities within the area. Northeast Indiana: Including the cities of: Angola, Auburn, Decatur, Fort Wayne, Hartford, Huntington City, LaGrange, Marion, Portland, Wabash and all other cities within the area. Northwest Indiana: Including the cities of: Crown Point, Gary, Hammond, Kentland, LaPorte, Michigan City, Portage, Rensselaer, Valparaiso, and all other cities within the area. IDEM has issued some recommended actions that the public can take. These include: Walk, bike, carpool or use public transportation. Avoid using the drive-through and combine errands into one trip. Avoid refueling your vehicle or using gasoline-powered lawn equipment until after 7 p.m. Turn off your engine when idling for more than 30 seconds. Conserve energy by turning off lights or setting the air conditioner to 75 degrees Fahrenheit or above. A National Weather Service (NWS) air quality alert said that fine particulate levels are expected to be in the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups range. Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should limit prolonged outdoor exposure. What People Are Saying The American Lung Association warns that wildfire smoke poses significant health risks, especially for children, older adults, and individuals with respiratory conditions. They recommend staying indoors, using air purifiers, and keeping windows closed to reduce exposure. The American Lung Association stated on its website: "Areas throughout the Midwest, including parts of Indiana, will see their air quality impacted by smoke from wildfires burning in Canada this weekend. The smoke is prompting several communities to issue air-quality alerts. "It is unhealthy to breathe and can be especially harmful to sensitive groups, including children, older adults, and people with lung diseases like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease." What Happens Next Residents are advised to monitor local air-quality reports and take necessary precautions to protect their health during this period of elevated pollution.
Chicago Tribune
05-06-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Environmental groups file petition against IDEM, Cleveland-Cliffs
Two Northwest Indiana activism groups joined other environmental groups in sending a petition to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in objection to an air monitoring permit recently approved for Cleveland-Cliffs' Indiana Harbor facility. The petition alleges that a permit recently issued to Cleveland-Cliffs from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management falls 'significantly short of basic provisions, including failure to include monitoring, testing and recordkeeping' to ensure compliance with the Clean Air Act. 'If this permit is approved as is, the Cleveland-Cliffs facilities (at Indiana Harbor in East Chicago) will likely release harmful emissions into the air…' Ellis Walton, associate attorney at the Environmental Law and Policy Center, said in a Monday news release. 'The communities of East Chicago and Gary suffer many environmental injustices already and shouldn't be forced to bear even more harms from local industry.' Cleveland-Cliffs did not respond to a request for comment about the petition. Walton alleges that emissions released would include PM10 ultrafine particulate matter and nitrous oxide above limitations in the Clean Air Act, according to a news release. The petition asks IDEM to redo its permit for PM10 emission limits applicable to Baghouses #187 and #188 at Indiana Harbor East; NOx emission limits at No. 6 Batch Anneal facilities at Indiana Harbor East; and NESHAP Subpart DDDDD requirements for Boilers No. 6, No. 7 and No. 8 at Indiana Harbor West. IDEM said permitting decisions are made based on an applicant's ability to demonstrate compliance with all applicable state and federal requirements, pursuant to the Clean Air Act. 'The Cleveland Cliffs Indiana Harbor Part 70 Operating Permits were issued following an EPA review and comment period,' IDEM wrote in an emailed statement. 'Specific questions about the petition and next steps should be directed to the U.S. EPA.' Draft renewal permits were posted for public comment on Nov. 3, 2023, according to the petition. Public comment periods are 30 days. ELPC requested a public comment extension and a public hearing on Nov. 13, 2023, but IDEM did not respond prior to the end of the comment period. On Dec. 20, 2023, IDEM announced a Jan. 10, 2024 public hearing and said the public notice period would end on Jan. 16, 2024. EPA Region 5 also submitted two comment letters addressing the renewal permits on Dec. 4, 2023. IDEM submitted renewal permits for EPA review on Feb. 17, 2025, and the agency's review period ended without an agency objection. However, the petition alleges that IDEM disregarded concerns made by the EPA during the public comment period. 'IDEM's renewal of the Cleveland-Cliffs air permit fails to protect the residents of surrounding communities from decades-long and ongoing exposure to health-harming air pollutants that are the proven cause of significant increases in respiratory diseases (like asthma), cardiovascular diseases (like heart attacks), cancers at numerous sites, and premature deaths,' said Gary Advocates for Responsible Development President Dorreen Carey. 'The current outmoded and insufficient methods of emission monitoring in the Cleveland-Cliffs air permit renewal cannot assure continuous compliance and enforcement of the Clean Air Act. EPA must act to object to this permit renewal and meet its obligation to protect human health and the environment.' An October report from Industrious Labs found that most residents in Gary are in the top 10% of U.S. residents most at-risk for developing asthma and low life expectancy. In 2020, Indiana had a lung cancer rate of 72.5 per 100,000 people, with Lake County as one of the state's counties with the highest cancer mortality rates, according to the American Lung Association. A 2016 report from the JAMA Network also found Gary as one of the five U.S. cities with the lowest life expectancy at one point. Susan Thomas, director of policy and press for Just Transition Northwest Indiana, said in a news release that the health of children, communities and environment suffers direct harm from IDEM and industry actions. 'Cleveland-Cliffs is fully capable of implementing best-available technologies and practices and should do so as any responsible corporate neighbor would,' Thomas said. 'IDEM is supposed to protect us and has failed its obligation in this permit.'
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bitwise Accelerates European Expansion with Addition of Melissa De Sanctis and Fabio Massellani
Bitwise Accelerates European Expansion with Addition of Melissa De Sanctis and Fabio Massellani De Sanctis joins the marketing team as Product Marketing Manager, while Massellani joins the sales team as Senior Regional Consultant – Southern Europe June 4, 2025, Bitwise, a leading global digital asset management firm, announces the addition of two new professionals to its team: Melissa De Sanctis as Product Marketing Manager and Fabio Massellani as Senior Regional Consultant – Southern Europe. Melissa De Sanctis brings over 20 years of experience in the financial sector, including 17 years at Borsa Italiana. She has held roles such as Business Development Manager for retail investors and later served as Senior Marketing Manager, leading commercial and marketing activities for the group's secondary markets. She oversaw the development and launch of new instruments for IDEM, the derivatives segment of Borsa Italiana. Most recently, she was Head of Marketing and Communication at Spectrum Markets, a pan-European regulated venue for trading securitized derivatives. In her new role at Bitwise, Melissa — based in Milan — joins the marketing team led by Maximilian Monteleone, Head of Marketing for Europe at Bitwise. While based in Italy, her strategic focus will also support the Spanish market. Fabio Massellani developed his career at BPER Banca Group, where he held various roles with increasing responsibility. He worked as a fund selector and equity strategist at Optima SIM, with a specific focus on passive and indexed strategies. In recent years, he served as Sales Associate at HANetf, contributing to business development and product positioning — including in Spain. At Bitwise, Fabio joins the sales team and reports directly to Bradley Duke, Managing Director and Head of Europe at Bitwise. He will support the company's growth across Southern Europe, with a particular focus on Spain, Italy, and Portugal. These additions strengthen Bitwise's presence in the region, following the recent appointment of Flavio Rossetti as Regional Consultant for Southern Europe, and are part of a broader European expansion plan initiated in August 2024 with the acquisition of ETC Group. Bradley Duke, Managing Director and Head of Europe at Bitwise, commented: 'We're excited to welcome Melissa and Fabio to Bitwise. As institutional and professional investors increasingly recognize the potential of digital assets to enhance portfolio performance, our role is to be a trusted partner in that journey. Southern Europe — including Spain — is a key market for us, and the addition of Melissa and Fabio, with their deep expertise and local insight, will help us serve investors even better.' Melissa De Sanctis said: 'I'm thrilled to join an innovative and forward-thinking firm like Bitwise. The crypto sector is evolving rapidly, and I strongly believe that providing secure, regulated instruments like ETPs is essential to making this space more accessible. It's a real opportunity to engage more institutional and retail participants in the world of digital assets and blockchain technology.' Fabio Massellani added: 'I'm delighted to join a dynamic and fast-growing company like Bitwise. I look forward to applying my experience in the Southern European market to support our company's mission. I'm confident my contribution will help strengthen Bitwise's footprint and support its commitment to innovation in the fast-moving world of crypto investing.' About Bitwise Bitwise is one of the world's leading crypto specialist asset managers. Thousands of financial advisors, family offices, and institutional investors across the globe have partnered with us to understand and access the opportunities in crypto. Since 2017, Bitwise has established a track record of excellence, managing a broad suite of index and active solutions across ETPs, separately managed accounts, private funds, and hedge fund strategies – spanning both the U.S. and Europe. In Europe, for the past five years Bitwise (formerly ETC Group) has developed an extensive and innovative suite of crypto ETPs, including Europe's most traded bitcoin ETP, or the first diversified Crypto Basket ETP replicating an MSCI digital assets index. This family of crypto ETPs is domiciled in Germany and issued under a base prospectus approved by BaFin. We exclusively partner with reputable entities from the traditional financial industry, ensuring that 100% of the assets are securely stored offline (cold storage) through regulated custodians. Our European products comprise a collection of carefully designed financial instruments that seamlessly integrate into any professional portfolio, providing comprehensive exposure to crypto as an asset class. Access is straightforward via major European stock exchanges, with primary listings on Xetra, the most liquid exchange for ETF trading in Europe. Retail investors benefit from easy access through numerous DIY/online brokers, coupled with our robust and secure physical ETP structure, which includes a redemption feature. For more information, visit Media contacts:JEA AssociatesJohn McLeod00 44 7886 920436john@ Important information This press release does not constitute investment advice, nor does it constitute an offer or solicitation to buy financial products. This press release is issued by Bitwise Europe GmbH ('BEU'), a limited company domiciled in Germany, for information only and in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations. BEU gives no explicit or implicit assurance or guarantee regarding the fairness, accuracy, completeness, or correctness of this article or the opinions contained therein. It is advised not to rely on the fairness, accuracy, completeness, or correctness of this article or the opinions contained therein. Please note that this article is neither investment advice nor an offer or solicitation to acquire financial products or cryptocurrencies. Before investing in crypto Exchange Traded Products ('ETPs'), potential investors should consider the following: Potential investors should seek independent advice and consider relevant information contained in the base prospectus and the final terms for the ETPs, especially the risk factors. ETPs issued by BEU are suitable only for persons experienced in investing in cryptocurrencies and risks of investing can be found in the prospectus and final terms available on The invested capital is at risk, and losses up to the amount invested are possible. ETPs backed by cryptocurrencies are highly volatile assets and performance is unpredictable. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The market price of ETPs will vary and they do not offer a fixed income or match precisely the performance of the underlying cryptocurrency. Investing in ETPs involves numerous risks including general market risks relating to underlying, adverse price movements, currency, liquidity, operational, legal and regulatory risks.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Hoosiers call for tighter pollution control for BP's Lake Michigan refinery permit
The diesel-like smell sometimes rising off Lake Michigan near BP's oil refinery in Whiting gets so bad that surfer Mike Calabro and his girlfriend suffer headaches and need to get out of the water for relief. Growing up in Whiting, Calabro learned how to surf at the beach next to the refinery. He lives in Chicago now but still makes the 40-minute drive down to his old stomping grounds to hit the waves. Calabro is among a large group of environmental advocates saying Indiana regulators are failing their duty to protect the water quality of Lake Michigan by ignoring pollutants coming from BP's refinery and letting the company release excess mercury into the lake. Lake Michigan's ecosystems are threatened by the pollution coming from the refinery, the groups say, and the wildlife — including migratory birds and bald eagles nesting in the area — face toxic consequences. The groups are now calling for the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to revise BP's application for its pollution discharge permit, known as an NPDES, which is renewed every five years. BP is in the process of renewing its five-year permit and is waiting for IDEM to issue the final permit detailing the parameters for each pollutant the refinery discharges. The company "is committed to safe and compliant operations at the Whiting Refinery and across our global operations," spokesperson Cesar Rodriquez wrote in an email to IndyStar. "We will continue working every day to keep this commitment and to ensure the refinery remains an important part of the Northwest Indiana economy for years to come." Rob Michaels, a senior attorney with the Environmental Law & Policy Center and part of the cohort wanting changes to the permit, said IDEM is obligated to protect water quality — and Lake Michigan in particular — but there are numerous ways the current permit fails to meet that objective. One of the biggest failures is the numerous pollutants IDEM should have previously limited in BP's discharges, Michaels said. The list of these chemicals the groups claim IDEM has ignored is long, but some of the more worrying pollutants include PFAS, known as forever chemicals, and BTEX, which are a group of chemicals found in the oil and gas industry. Both are found to be harmful to human health. One of the BTEX pollutants, benzene, is known to cause anemia and an increased risk of cancer, according to the U.S. EPA. Meg Parish, with the Environmental Integrity Project, said BTEX chemicals are 'really dangerous to people at very small levels.' 'EPA did a big study on oil refineries in 2019 and said these (chemicals) are something we should be concerned about and yet Indiana didn't even consider it,' Parish said. 'They ignored it completely.' IDEM spokesperson Barry Sneed told IndyStar the department will provide full responses to concerns about BP's permit when a final decision is made. 'If any potential permitting discrepancies are raised during the public comment period, IDEM will thoroughly evaluate and address them before making a final decision,' Sneed wrote in an email to IndyStar. One area of the permit the groups are adamant needs to be reevaluated is an exception to how much mercury BP is allowed to release. IDEM has issued the company what is known as a streamlined mercury variance for the past 12 years. This variance allows BP to release more mercury than the established safe water quality standard for Lake Michigan. The exception allows BP to discharge about five times more mercury than normally allowed. Susan Thomas, with Just Transition Northwest Indiana, called the mercury situation at BP 'egregious.' 'They've had years to remedy this situation, and they have not,' Thomas said. 'They have been given a pass all of these years by IDEM.' The group's comment letter sent to IDEM says BP has had since 2012 to come into compliance with the mercury standards for Lake Michigan to protect the ecosystem and human health but has instead 'avoided installing the treatment needed …' Calabro, the Lake Michigan surfer, is part of a group called SurfRider Foundation that helps protect coastal areas. Sarah Damron oversees many of the group's chapters in the Great Lakes. Surfers are often the canaries in the coal mine when it comes to coastal water pollution since they're out in the water and exposed to the contaminants, Damron said. The mercury variance is also one of the surfing group's main concerns. 'To just continue to allow a variance as opposed to strengthening the requirements over time so they are able to meet the standards set by the state is not in the best interest of public health and wellbeing,' Damron said. The outfalls where BP discharges its pollutants are close to the area where people like Calabro use the lake for recreation. People are fed up with the situation, Just Transition's Thomas said. 'How much more can the frontline communities take?' Thomas said. 'If you stand outside in Whiting, your throat can start to burn, your eyes tear up and you can get heart palpitations. These communities are called sacrifice zones are deserve extreme consideration.' IndyStar's environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust. Karl Schneider is an IndyStar environment reporter. You can reach him at Follow him on BlueSky @ This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: BP refinery in Indiana needs stricter pollution control, Hoosiers say
