By Bill Morgan, Staff Writer
Northern Metal Recycling began moving dirt this week on its planned 242,000-square-foot industrial building in Becker.
Scott Helberg, Northern Metals’ chief operating officer, Becker Mayor Tracy Bertram, Sherburne County’s Steve Taylor, SEH’s Randy Sabart and Becker City Administrator Greg Pruszinske were among the dozen or so officials lifting dirt with gold-bladed shovels during Monday’s presentation.
The first part of the project includes removal of trees, brush and vegetation at the construction site, as well as grading and construction of stormwater ponds, roadways and parking lots.
The new plant, which will rise on a 75-acre industrial site just south of University Avenue and west of Hancock Street, will replace Northern Metals’ existing metal shredder at 2800 Pacific Ave. in Minneapolis.
Components of the new operation in Becker include an enclosed metal shredder, an enclosed metal recovery plant, an “end-of-life” process for scrap vehicles, and a recycling center for residents, according to the EAW.
Northern Metals accepts raw recycling materials, such as steel and aluminum, from a dozen or so collection facilities throughout western Minnesota and North Dakota. The Northern Metals shredder has the capacity to shred 400 tons per hour.
“It will be a substantial capital investment,” Pruszinske said. “The first phase we are anticipating about 80 jobs. Their plan is to scale up eventually, hopefully in the neighborhood of 180 jobs.”
The industrial area is well served by rail, which is one thing that made the location attractive for Northern Metals.
The city is planning a series of infrastructure improvements to serve the future Northern Metals site and the industrial park. That includes about 4,900 feet of street improvements, 3,300 feet of sewer, 4,600 feet of water and 3,800 feet of storm water, Pruszinske said.
Northern Metals will shut down its Minneapolis operation by August 2019 under terms of a $2.5 million settlement with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, which found the Minneapolis facility was emitting elevated levels of lead, chromium, cobalt and nickel.
The MPCA said its March 2017 settlement with Northern Metals was “one of the largest ever negotiated” by the agency.
MPCA Commissioner John Linc Stine said in a March 2017 statement that Northern Metals “recognized the serious nature of its violations, and they’ve chosen to take the right steps.”
The process for the company to come to Becker began with the company submitting to MPCA a plan for the facility. The MPCA reviews the process, has the company make changes, and authorizes the facility and site plan.
From the groundbreaking on, the MPCA will inspect the construction to verify the plant is built to specifications. Once operations begin, monitoring comes in three forms: 1). Self-reporting (NMR keeps meticulous records on operations, reports to MPCA, MPCA reviews for compliance, MPCA takes action in the event the company is out of compliance); 2). MPCA monitors compliance through regularly scheduled inspections; 3). MPCA monitors compliance through unannounced compliance inspections.
