American Iron & Supply, a Minneapolis scrap metal recycler, has filed a petition with the Minnesota Office of Administrative Hearings in regards to the company's plan to perform some repairs at its dock facility. The decision to file the petition follows the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ decision to stymie the scrap company’s plan to perform the repairs.
The dock is the result of two barges that have been submerged. According to a spokesman for American Iron the company is seeking a maintenance request to perform some repairs on the barges. The company contends that the maintenance request should be allowed under the company’s existing permit for the dock, which was given to the company for the docking facility about 20 years ago.
According to American Iron, the facility falls well within the parameters of the permits for the docks. "The kind of dock we operate is permittable. It is well within the law," the spokesman for American Iron & Supply says.
However, the state DNR claims that the request to perform the repairs should result in an opening up of the overall permitting process for the barge.
The OAH is expected to hear both sides within the next month, and could present its findings by this fall.
While the DNR still has the final decision on whether or not to approve the maintenance request, if the OAH comes out in favor of the scrap recycler that could be used in any court appeal the company may file.