Compliance

Government agencies authorize our activities by issuing environmental permits. These permits define how Cleveland-Cliffs must comply with the applicable environmental regulations to protect human health and the environment. Respecting these obligations is non-discretionary and necessary to preserve our social license to operate. Without these permissions, we cannot operate.

We have acquired hundreds of environmental permits throughout our operational portfolio that prescribe obligations relating to mining activities and environmental aspects related to air, water, waste, and land management impacts. These permits can be hundreds of pages and create millions of discrete compliance obligations over a year.

Being compliant is the minimum standard; doing better than the minimum and going beyond compliance is the essence of our core value of environmental stewardship and demonstrates our commitment to social responsibility.

We continue to improve our Environmental Management System (EMS) which is registered to the international environmental management system standard as the management tool to facilitate environmental performance and drive continual improvement.

Gauging Performance

Our operations have reduced direct and indirect emissions by using cleaner fuels, implementing energy efficiency measures, and developing innovative process technology.

We have negotiated energy supply contracts that resulted in lower power costs and the replacement of two coal-fired power plants with a portfolio of cleaner, more efficient sources as well as renewables. This shift in electricity generation substantially reduces air emissions that contribute to regional haze (SO2 and NOx) and greenhouse gas emissions.

We have made and will continue to make investments to reduce the environmental footprint of our operations and to develop products that reduce downstream emissions from our customers.

View our Sustainability Performance Data

Our Commitment in Action

Spotlight: Exceeding Targets in Mining

Our iron ore mining operations exceeded the United States (U.S.) 2015 Paris Agreement pledge to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 26-28% from 2005 baseline levels six years ahead of the 2025 target.

Spotlight: Reducing Regional Haze Emissions

In the late 2000s, Cliffs began actively working to reduce emissions which may lead to the formation of regional haze around its operations. The largest contributors were emissions of NOx and SO2 coming from its wholly-owned coal fired plant in Minnesota and its indurating furnaces, a key step in the process of preparing iron ore pellets. 

Our emissions of regional haze pollutants (SO2 & NOx) have been reduced by 43% compared to 2005 with an objective to reduce those emissions by more than 50% by 2022 compared to 20051.

Spotlight: Improving Slag Processing at Dearborn Works

Cleveland-Cliffs has undertaken a number of important projects to be a good neighbor and reduce the environmental footprint at our Dearborn Works in Michigan. One area of focus has involved employing new techniques to improve the processing of slag at the site. 

Slag is a co-product of the steelmaking process, which can be sold or used for new applications, such as in road construction where it is used as a base for concrete and hot mix asphalt. 

Spotlight: Improving Wastewater Treatment at Burns Harbor

At our Burns Harbor facility, we are piloting an ammonia water treatment system to reduce nutrient loading to the East Branch of the Little Calumet River and Lake Michigan. The pilot test was a success, and will continue to be operated with capability to reduce ammonia from our discharge throughout the year—ensuring compliance and improving wastewater discharge parameters. Additionally, Cliffs has publicly committed to eliminating the waiver associated with our National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit relative to the Clean Water Act (at Burns Harbor) due to the success of this pilot project. Steel mills, for example, can request waivers to allow for higher ammonia loading without impacting water quality.

Burns Harbor is voluntarily eliminating our 301g variance for ammonia—going beyond compliance—to permanently install best available technology (BAT), removing an additional 40% of ammonia per year more than was allowed under the previous permit limits. This decision was made in good faith to maintain and strengthen relationships with our state, agency and local community stakeholders. We plan to install a permanent treatment system in 2025

Spotlight: Conservation at Burns Harbor

At our Burns Harbor site, we have an ongoing WHC-supported project to rehabilitate Oak Savanna Dune and Swale that began in 2012. This included restoration of more than 40 acres of on-site dune and swale habitat and the creation of an employee walking trail. The site provides a shorebird habitat for nesting; stopover location for migratory birds; and permanent residency for native shorebirds. In late 2021, Burns Harbor employees completed several greening projects to remove invasive species, clear out forest understory and plant native milkweed and trees to recertify the site.

In addition to this project, Burns Harbor also has a plant beautification team. This team is currently planning a project for 2022 to mitigate fugitive dust and stormwater runoff in the primary production area. We are proud to report that Burns Harbor was re-certified for 2022 due to the hard work of our dedicated site environmental team.