Smith Foundry to cease operations immediately

Breaking news:  This weekend Smith Foundry announced they will cease all operations August 15th.

The exciting news comes weeks after the company reached a settlement with the Environmental Protection Agency over Clean Air Act violations discovered at the foundry during a surprise inspection this past spring. The discoveries verified concerning pollution levels neighbors had been reporting for years. 

While the company initially planned to continue running a portion of its business, it announced Friday that it would shut down entirely rather than provide the information required by the MPCA to update its air permit. MCEA was part of the Shut Down Smith coalition fighting for this important public health win, which is a testament to the power of community organizing

In a meeting on Monday night following the news, community members spoke about the relief they feel no longer wondering if they and their children are breathing in heavy metals. They were also disappointed to see the situation framed in some reporting as pollution being necessary for jobs, rather than the company refusing to make investments to keep neighbors and workers safe. 

"This win was possible because of the many avenues of advocacy that were used and unwavering public scrutiny. No single person or tactic made it possible, this was truly a collective work," said MCEA Healthy Communities Program Director Evan Mulholland. 

Thank you to all our supporters who stood with the people of East Phillips and demanded clean air for all Minnesotans.