City Administrator Greg Pruszinski, Mayor Pete Hyduke, and RAMS Executive Director Paul Peltier met this week with Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Commissioner Katrina Kessler and her staff in St. Paul to discuss the state’s sulfate standard and its potential effects on Iron Range communities.
The meeting provided an important opportunity for our local leaders to ensure that the voices of Range residents and industries are being heard. They emphasized the need for science-based, practical solutions that protect our environment while also supporting the people and economies that depend on mining and municipal infrastructure.
Just today, the Mesabi Tribune reported that the MPCA has extended its timeline for making a final decision on U.S. Steel’s Keetac sulfate variance request. The agency cited more than 1,100 public comments and the need for additional time to review them — a sign of how critical and complex this issue remains.
With two taconite operations within Hibbing’s geographical footprint (Keetac & Hibtac), Mayor Hyduke emphasized that Hibbing supports protecting Minnesota’s natural resources, but any final decision must balance environmental goals with community sustainability and the long-term viability of the region’s mining industry.
“We want a solution that works for our communities, the mining industry and benefits our environment,” Hyduke said.
