Neenah Foundry to pay $200,000 to settle DOJ air control violations

• Neenah Foundry Company will pay a $200,000 fine to settle claims of air pollution violations.
• The Wisconsin Department of Justice filed a complaint alleging 18 violations against the foundry.
• Violations included failure to properly operate and maintain air pollution control devices.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

Neenah Foundry Company will pay a $200,000 fine to settle state claims it violated air pollution control permits and state and federal regulations.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice on May 6 filed a complaint against the foundry in Winnebago County Circuit Court that alleged 18 violations of its air control permits, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources regulations and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations.

Neenah Foundry’s current owner, Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Company, in a statement to The Post-Crescent said the investigations were related to record-keeping practices and permit interpretations prior to its ownership. Charlotte Pipe’s statement noted the matters the state investigated did not involve actual emissions violations or allegations of pollution.

The DOJ on May 11 announced Circuit Court Judge Brian Keberlein approved the settlement order on May 7. The Wisconsin DOJ and DNR worked together to file the complaint against Neenah Foundry and to deliver the settlement.

“Our air pollution control permit system relies on compliance with permit terms in order to effectively protect clean air,” said Attorney General Josh Kaul in a news release. “When companies fail to fulfill their obligations under those permits, there must be accountability.”

The $200,000 payment includes the fine, surcharges and court costs. The state alleged 18 violations related to the foundry’s failure to maintain and operate air pollution control devices and monitors, inadequate recordkeeping, and failures to report incidents to the DNR.

In the statement, Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Company, noted the settlement concluded investigations from 2019 and 2021, prior to the company’s acquisition of Neenah Foundry in 2022. Since Charlotte Pipe’s acquisition, it said there have been no substantive findings in any federal or state investigations.

“The resolution of these historic matters provided an opportunity to confirm regulatory expectations and ensure consistent interpretation and handling of permitting requirements going forward,” the statement said.

It later added: “Charlotte Pipe and Foundry and Neenah Foundry Company remain deeply committed to continuous improvement and take every opportunity to evolve and refine company operations across the board. Both companies take environmental obligations very seriously and will continue to work to meet or exceed all current and future permit requirements.”

Here’s a breakdown of the 18 complaints the DOJ alleged in its complaint, per the news release:

• Failure to maintain minimum air and water pressures, temperatures, pressure differentials and control devices necessary for the systems to properly run: 10
• Failure to maintain output analyses on the control devices: 2
• Failure to maintain records on leak alarms: 1
• Failure to submit documents about the control devices in a timely manner: 2
• Failure to perform annual calibration of control devices: 1
• Failure to maintain a log of steps taken to control dust: 1
• Failure to notify the DNR of deviation from permit requirements: 1

Founded in 1872, Neenah Foundry produces a variety of products, but its most notable one is likely the sewer and utility covers and frames found in streets across the United States. The foundry also produces inlet frames and grates, trench frames and grates, and specialty castings for the construction, wastewater, airport and utility industries.

Contact business reporter Jeff Bollier at (920) 431-8387 or jbollier@usatodayco.com. Follow him on X at @JeffBollier.