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FOLLANSBEE -- The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection is accepting public comment on a requested air quality permit for a proposed pig iron mill in Follansbee.
According to legal advertisements and documents available on its website, the DEP received an application from Ironton Enterprises LLC to construct a merchant pig iron facility capable of producing 250,000 tons annually in Follansbee.
“Ironton is proposing an integrated ironmaking operation consisting of a Mini-Sinter Plant (MSP), a Mini-Blast Furnace (MBF), a cogeneration (co-gen) power plant and all associated material handling equipment,” according to an engineering evaluation and fact sheet from the DEP’s Division of Air Quality.
The facility would be located on property formerly occupied by Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel and now part of the Port of West Virginia, west of state Route 2 and Veterans Drive and west of the railroad tracks, according to DEP documents.
“The site itself is mostly an old sinter and sinter feed pile left over from prior industry in the area,” the documents state. “Parts of the old sinter feed pile will be excavated as part of the site preparation and construction of the facility and then used in the production of new sinter in the Mini Sinter Plant.”
Potential emissions listed in the air quality permit application include 0.29 tons per year of particulate matter less than 2.5 microns, 6.31 tons per year of particulate matter less than 10 microns, 19.26 tons per year of particulate matter, 50.82 tons per year of carbon monoxide, 93.28 tons per year of oxides of nitrogen, 29.64 tons per year of sulfur dioxide, 0.58 tons per year of volatile organic compounds, 7.43 tons per year of ammonia and 0.20 tons per year of total hazardous air pollutants.
According to a legal advertisement published July 28, the public may submit comments or requests for a public meeting on the project. Comments or requests must be received by the DEP before 5 p.m. Aug. 27.
“A public meeting may be held if the Director of the (Division of Air Quality) determines that significant public interest has been expressed, in writing, or when the Director deems it appropriate,” the advertisement states.
Comments should be sent to Robert Mullins, West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Air Quality, 601 57th St. SE, Charleston, WV 25304.
Mullins also may be reached by telephone at (304) 926-0499, ext. 41283, or by email at Robert.A.Mullins@wv.gov
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According to a legal advertisement published by Ironton Enterprises on May 8, “startup of operation will be approximately (two) years from permit approval, currently anticipated to occur during Q3 2028.”