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Project No.: 0317.02.005.520 Page 1 of 4

Project Name: DMR2013 CBI?

Yes

No

TELEPHONE CALL RECORD

Incoming

Outgoing

Date: 6/9/15 Time: 4:00 am

pm

Company Name: Northshore Mining ERG Staff Name: Kimberly Bartell

Contact Name: Andrea Hayden Contact Phone Number: (218) 226-6032

General Subject: 2013 DMR Copper Discharges for Northshore Mining (MN0055301)

TOPICS DISCUSSED AND ACTION TAKEN

On June 9, I called and left a message at the facility. (218) 226-6051

On June 11, I called and left a message at the facility.

On June 17, I called and left a message at the facility.

On June 22, I called Andrea Hayden with Cliffs Natural Resources/Northshore Mining Company and left a 

message. I also followed up with an email. Ms. Hayden returned my email and stated that a call on June 23 

would work best for her. See attached email communication.

On June 23, I spoke with Andrea Hayden about the copper discharges at Northshore Mining. Ms. Hayden 

confirmed the 2013 DMR copper discharges and stated that they monitor yearly. The mine is a taconite mine 

with a processing facility and power plant onsite. The outfall with copper discharges is non-contact cooling 

water discharge from the power plant; it has nothing to do with mining at the site. The copper contamination 

could be from condenser cooling tubes that are brass or possible sediment in the tubing at the sample port. 

There is typically no variability in the discharge. The outfall does not have a permit limit for copper for the 

outfall, it is a monitoring requirement only. 

http://www.heartofthenorthshore.com/business/listings.php?id=108

On July 21, Rita Gabrielson from Cliffs Natural Resources sent an email with further information on recent 

sampling. See email correspondence below.
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Email Communication with Cliffs Natural Resources/Northshore Mining

From: Kimberly Bartell

To: Rita K Gabrielson <rita.gabrielson@CliffsNR.com>

CC: Andrea Hayden <andrea.hayden@cliffsnr.com>

Date: 07/21/15 5:25 PM

Subject: RE: Northshore Mining MN0055301 SD003 Copper

Hi Rita,

Thank you for providing this additional information. We will review it and let you know if we have any further questions. 

Thanks again,

Kim

--------------------------------------

Kimberly D. Bartell

Environmental Engineer

Eastern Research Group, Inc.

kimberly.bartell@erg.com

Phone: 517-515-1721

From: Rita K Gabrielson <rita.gabrielson@CliffsNR.com>

To: Kimberly Bartell

CC: Andrea Hayden (andrea.hayden@cliffsnr.com)

Date: 07/21/15 11:09 AM

Subject: Northshore Mining MN0055301 SD003 Copper

Hello Kim,

Due to the concerns caused by the historically elevated total copper results at SD-003 (S020), testing was performed to evaluate the 

possibility of sample contamination. Samples have historically been collected from a slip-stream sample port on the SD-003 

discharge pipe. On June 30 and July 15, 2015, samples were collected from this point, from inside the diffuser box at the outlet to the 

lake, and from the lake. Results indicate sample contamination is occurring from the sample port, therefore the required samples will 

now be collected at the outlet, from inside the diffuser box and these results will be reported in the DMRs. Results of the valid June 

and July samples will be submitted to the MPCA through the monthly, required “sample values” submittals.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you,

RITA GABRIELSON

Environmental Engineer

P 218.226.6056 M 218.226.8259 rita.gabrielson@cliffsnr.com

CLIFFS NATURAL RESOURCES

Northshore Mining

10 Outer Drive Silver Bay, MN 55614

P 218.226.4125 F 218.226.6037 cliffsnaturalresources.com

From: Kimberly Bartell

To: Andrea Hayden (andrea.hayden@cliffsnr.com)

CC: William Swietlik

Date: 06/22/15 2:48 PM

Subject: RE: 2013 DMR Clarification for Copper Discharges
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Hi Andrea,

Late morning tomorrow works well for me; I look forward to speaking with you then. 

Thank you,

Kim

--------------------------------------

Kimberly D. Bartell

Environmental Engineer

Eastern Research Group, Inc.

kimberly.bartell@erg.com

Phone: 517-515-1721

From: Andrea Hayden (andrea.hayden@cliffsnr.com)

To: Kimberly Bartell

CC: William Swietlik

Date: 06/22/15 2:45 PM

Subject: RE: 2013 DMR Clarification for Copper Discharges

Hi Kim, 

Our Environmental Engineer that oversees water quality is out for the day, but will be back tomorrow. We’ll call you to discuss 

tomorrow, probably late morning if that works for you?

Thanks,

Andrea

ANDREA J. HAYDEN

Section Manager, Environmental Services

P 218.226.6032 C 218.226.8267 andrea.hayden@cliffsnr.com

CLIFFS NATURAL RESOURCES

Northshore Mining Company

10 Outer Drive

Silver Bay, MN 55614

P 218.226.4125 F 218.226.6037 cliffsnaturalresources.com 

From: Kimberly Bartell

To: Andrea Hayden (andrea.hayden@cliffsnr.com)

CC: William Swietlik

Date: 06/22/15 1:35 PM

Subject: 2013 DMR Clarification for Copper Discharges

Ms. Hayden:

Eastern Research Group, Inc. (ERG) under EPA Contract No. EP-C-12-021, is e-mailing you on EPA’s behalf to request clarification 

of 2013 discharge monitoring reports for Northshore Mining in Silver Bay, MN (MN0055301). Below is some background on what 

the information is used for.

EPA reviews publicly-available DMR data to fulfill its review obligation under Section 304(b) of the Clean Water Act. The CWA 

requires EPA to annually review and, if appropriate, revise its water pollution control technology-based regulations, called "effluent 

limitations guidelines" or "effluent guidelines," that limit the discharge of pollutants to waters of the U.S. from various categories of 

industrial facilities. EPA is currently conducting its 2015 annual review of existing effluent guidelines and potential industrial 

guidelines which may need to be included (see http://www.epa.gov/guide/304m/ for further information). EPA will discuss this review 
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and the results in its 2015 Effluent Guidelines Program Plan scheduled for publication in the Federal Register sometime in 2015 or 

2016. As part of the 2015 annual review, EPA is evaluating the data in discharge monitoring reports from 2013 and needs further 

information to complete the review. 

We would like to obtain additional information on the following 2013 discharge data for Northshore Mining. Our records show the 

following value was discharged:

Outfall Date

Copper 

Concentration 

(mg/L) Flow (MGD)

020 8/31/2013 0.0301 123

We appreciate your help in confirming if the above data point is accurate, or if there are units errors in the DMR data. 

Please call me at 517-515-1721 when you have collected the above information. If you would like to speak directly with EPA 

regarding this request, you can contact William F. Swietlik of EPA's Office of Water/Engineering Analysis Division by phone at (202) 

566-1129 or by email: swietlik.william@epa.gov.

Thank you!

Kim

--------------------------------------

Kimberly D. Bartell

Environmental Engineer

Eastern Research Group, Inc.

kimberly.bartell@erg.com

Phone: 517-515-1721