ArcelorMittal Dofasco

[TheRitsman]

Originally Posted by craftbeerdad

While I'm glad this will improve the air quality for the lower city and surrounding areas and transition to a cleaner process, it's a bit bizarre that a foreign entity received this large financial injection.

Majority of the funds are being paid by the company themselves, and the goal of the carbon tax and the like is to basically rebate investments like this to incentivize this kind of change, so I see no major issues. They are taxed on carbon emissions, and then are given money to change to emit less, makes sense as a tax and rebate system.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by TheRitsman

Majority of the funds are being paid by the company themselves, and the goal of the carbon tax and the like is to basically rebate investments like this to incentivize this kind of change, so I see no major issues. They are taxed on carbon emissions, and then are given money to change to emit less, makes sense as a tax and rebate system.

Exactly! And this is the point that detractors and opponents don't get or don't like... a prime example is the Ford government, who campaigned on ending "the cap and trade carbon tax" (a deliberate misnomer) and did exactly that until the federal government cut their hands off re: this issue.

These taxes should never be counted on to create a permanent stream of revenue. They're meant to create change. Taking some of the money that comes from the tax and investing it in the kind of thing AM Dofasco will be doing leads to that, and thus the tax is doing its job.

[craftbeerdad]

I don't have a problem with this, I'm saying it's selective (didn't Stelco only receive $50M in 2019?).

A great idea to help with the climate would be incentivizing residential sources of energy change, and encourage people to switch from natural gas as an energy source. That would help decrease emissions dramatically in this country.

[TheRitsman]

Originally Posted by craftbeerdad

I don't have a problem with this, I'm saying it's selective (didn't Stelco only receive $50M in 2019?).

A great idea to help with the climate would be incentivizing residential sources of energy change, and encourage people to switch from natural gas as an energy source. That would help decrease emissions dramatically in this country.

I mean, I think a big reason is that Hamilton is one of, if not the worst municipality in Canada for emissions. The health of lower city residents is also becoming more apparent of an issue. I'm also sorry to say this, but now that the lower city is becoming a more middle income area, it's likely the government wanted to avoid looking like they were literally poisoning people, because middle class residents complain more about dying early from lung cancer.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by craftbeerdad

I don't have a problem with this, I'm saying it's selective (didn't Stelco only receive $50M in 2019?).

Stelco could upgrade their Lake Erie operation and ask for funding, but with the blast furnace shuttered and being dismantled here the same opportunity doesn't exist (though they're still making coke in Hamilton, aren't they? perhaps not for very long?)

Fewer voters in Nanticoke and its surrounding area though.

[craftbeerdad]

Originally Posted by TheRitsman

I mean, I think a big reason is that Hamilton is one of, if not the worst municipality in Canada for emissions. The health of lower city residents is also becoming more apparent of an issue. I'm also sorry to say this, but now that the lower city is becoming a more middle income area, it's likely the government wanted to avoid looking like they were literally poisoning people, because middle class residents complain more about dying early from lung cancer.

Fair point, I've always thought Hamilton was making good headway on emissions and health concerns but maybe that's a story I tell myself because I'd like to think there's Cootes, RBG, and the industrial lands have been decommissioned over time, but it could be a fairy tale.

Is there any studies with figures on emissions and the environment by Mac or similar body?

Whenever I look at the health impacts on the lower city, it's quite visible and I always wondered if the city knows the costs associated with pollution, emissions, and cancer causing agents that have caused health impairments (especially pre-90s).

[mikevbar1]

This might be better suited for the Stelco forum (and is somewhat off-topic), but in researching Dofasco and Stelco I came across this link referring to an industrial waterfront plan that seems much larger in scope than anything else. I don’t recall ever seeing this discussed before, though I’m short on time so can’t really dig and check right now. I figured I’d just provide the link for the time being: https://www.hamilton.ca/sites/defaul...g2-minutes.pdf

[craftbeerdad]

How is this off topic? Seems pretty on-topic regarding emissions from ACMD and in general the industrial complex in the lower city. If we re-route this, you might want to check every thread and off-thread all the off-topic comments. This is nothing.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by mikevbar1

This might be better suited for the Stelco forum (and is somewhat off-topic), but in researching Dofasco and Stelco I came across this link referring to an industrial waterfront plan that seems much larger in scope than anything else. I don’t recall ever seeing this discussed before, though I’m short on time so can’t really dig and check right now. I figured I’d just provide the link for the time being: https://www.hamilton.ca/sites/defaul...g2-minutes.pdf

Thanks! There are various threads this might fit. This is one of them.

The city doesn't do a good job letting people know this stuff is posted, so unless someone is very keen on it and goes mining through the city's oh-so-friendly website, it sits quietly without being seen. That's probably the case in most cities though.

I don't know if planning and ec-dev have an email list one can subscribe to that would let you know when something like this is posted. I'm on the one about GRIDS-2/MCR after submitting my comments on the urban boundary expansion options, but there really should be a "general development" mailing list for interested citizens. Maybe there is and I've just never seen it on the website.

[mikevbar1]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

Thanks! There are various threads this might fit. This is one of them.

The city doesn't do a good job letting people know this stuff is posted, so unless someone is very keen on it and goes mining through the city's oh-so-friendly website, it sits quietly without being seen. That's probably the case in most cities though.

I don't know if planning and ec-dev have an email list one can subscribe to that would let you know when something like this is posted. I'm on the one about GRIDS-2/MCR after submitting my comments on the urban boundary expansion options, but there really should be a "general development" mailing list for interested citizens. Maybe there is and I've just never seen it on the website.

I'd like to think there is at least some form of communication between the city, developers and the communities their decisions will affect. Unfortunately a development mailing list just doesn't seem like something cities are interested in paying for, especially Hamilton. That being said, the less the city shares with us the more we can be surprised by projects like this

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by mikevbar1

I'd like to think there is at least some form of communication between the city, developers and the communities their decisions will affect. Unfortunately a development mailing list just doesn't seem like something cities are interested in paying for, especially Hamilton. That being said, the less the city shares with us the more we can be surprised by projects like this

Yeah, the cost/hassle involved would probably be too much for this burgh. And we can sift through council minutes and meeting materials at our leisure.

There are also counsellors who would fret about special interest groups and lobbyists who may become annoying should they get their prodding fingers on city reports and presentations. Why make it easier for the "activists"

But in an era of [supposedly] "open data" and "open government" I don't think it would be that much trouble to set up an automated email alerting people on a list that something was posted to the city website. We pay for that stuff.

[ScreamingViking]

Gee, I wonder if an announcement by provincial parties is just waiting for an election...


ArcelorMittal Dofasco still seeking provincial cash for historic green steel overhaul in Hamilton

https://www.thespec.com/news/hamilto...eelmaking.html

Matthew Van Dongen
The Hamilton Spectator
Fri., Oct. 29, 2021




ArcelorMittal Dofasco says it is in discussions with the province for funding needed to go ahead with a historic green steel transformation that would end the use of polluting coal at the Hamilton plant.

But without that still-uncommitted cash, the much anticipated $1.8-billion environmental overhaul remains in limbo.

The federal Liberal government announced $400 million with great fanfare July 30 to help the Hamilton steelmaker end coal-fired steelmaking — and eventually, transition to using green hydrogen as fuel. The project would cut the plant’s carbon emissions by two-thirds by 2028 — as well as radically reduce local air pollution.

Three months after the federal announcement, there is no provincial cash commitment — but general manager and environment director John Lundrigan told residents this week he is “very optimistic” the project will go ahead.

Lundrigan told a virtual community liaison meeting that ArcelorMittal Dofasco is “in discussions” now with the Progressive Conservative provincial government about potential funding. But he also reiterated the project is “contingent” on more government help.

An emailed statement from Ontario’s Economic Development Ministry said the province is in “continual dialogue” with the steelmaker about ways to ensure its competitiveness and “environmental sustainability.” It did not say if specific green steel project funding is under negotiation.

...

Green steel ‘decarbonization’ project: what is it?

The proposed $1.8-billion overhaul includes:
- Building a massive new electric arc furnace (EAF) and upgrading an existing furnace to make steel;

- Building a “direct reduced iron” facility to turn mined ore into feedstock for an EAF using natural gas (and, someday, green hydrogen);

- Mothballing two coke plants (where coal is currently oven-baked into high-carbon coke);

- Shuttering three blast furnaces (where coke is burned to transform iron ore into liquid iron);

- Ending the use and storage of coal.


full story here

[SteelTown]

Uh! Could you imagine a steel plant that doesn't require coal? T

That will be A LOT of freed-up lands if they no longer have to store coal during the winter.

[Innsertnamehere]

The emissions savings and impact on local air quality would also be insane. It would probably singlehandedly end any remaining smog days the GTHA gets and end the poor air quality the lower city still regularly experiences.

And yea, I imagine the land requirements would also be much lower. Dofasco may follow Stelco and sell off some lands for new development. The waterfront Industrial area could end up looking *Very* different in 2030 than it does today between the Stelco redevelopment and this project.

[mikevbar1]

What a pivotal project for the city. I didn't even realize this was going to be happening to such a degree (the greening, that is). Just another stigma around Hamilton being removed. This is pretty innovative for steel and manufacturing as well, Isn't it?

[ScreamingViking]

It's definitely huge. With Stelco's blast furnace done and becoming part of history (and presumably their coke ovens at some point?) emissions from steelmaking will be a fraction of what they've been.

And getting other industrial/port land uses on the coal storage sites would be really terrific too.

[NortheastWind]

I live in the Barton and Ottawa area after living on the east mountain most of my life. While most days the air quality is decent, there are some days you can almost taste it, making me want to leave the area. This can't happen soon enough.

[SteelTown]

Premier Doug Ford to make green steel announcement at Hamilton’s ArcelorMittal Dofasco

Matthew Van Dongen
By Matthew Van Dongen
https://www.thespec.com/news/hamilto...ouncement.html

Premier Doug Ford will make a green steel announcement Tuesday at ArcelorMittal Dofasco that environmentalists hope will kick-start a historic project to end the use of polluting coal at the Hamilton plant.

The bayfront steelmaker announced a $1.8-billion plan last year replace its polluting coke ovens and blast furnaces with electric arc furnaces by 2028. The project would cut greenhouse emissions from the city’s largest carbon polluter by two-thirds — and pave the way toward future “net-zero” hydrogen-fuelled steelmaking.

The federal Liberal government offered $400 million for the project in July 2021 — but international ArcelorMittal CEO Aditya Mittal warned at the time the project could not go ahead without a funding “partnership” with the Progressive Conservative province.

Mittal also suggested more funding could help fast-track the project. “I personally look forward to the province stepping up and hopefully we can do this project before 2028,” he said in July.

That’s Lynda Lukasik’s hope.

“We’ve been wondering and waiting and, frankly, we’ve been worried about whether or not this funding would come through,” said the head of Environment Hamilton, noting the Tory government’s early resistance to climate change-fighting policies like carbon pricing.

“If the province steps up with major funding, then kudos to them — and I hope it spurs the company to step up and get this done faster, too.”

The Spectator has learned the announcement includes an investment in green steel, but the exact details — and dollar amount — were unclear Monday night.

Ford will be accompanied by Energy Minister Todd Smith and Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade Vic Fedeli at the Monday announcement.

Right now, Dofasco has one of the largest industrial carbon footprints in Ontario at five million tonnes annually. Mothballing the plant’s aging coke ovens and blast furnaces would take the greenhouse gas equivalent of one million cars off the road.

But it would also dramatically cut the amount of cancer-causing pollution spewed into bayfront neighbourhoods and largely end regular episodes of “black fallout” from the steelmaker.

The company’s proposed $1.8-billion overhaul includes:

* Building a massive new electric arc furnace (EAF) and upgrading an existing furnace to make steel;
* Building a “direct reduced iron” facility to turn mined ore into feedstock for an EAF using natural gas (and, someday, green hydrogen);
* Mothballing two coke plants (where coal is currently oven-baked into high-carbon coke);
* Shuttering three blast furnaces (where coke is burned to transform iron ore into liquid iron);
* Ending the use and storage of coal.

[craftbeerdad]

Such a positive development it's not even funny. While Hamilton's industrial roots are an important element of the city's fabric, the ability to transition to a more green future for something at the foundation of the city's identity is awesome. On top of the health benefits, it's nice to see Hamilton change the perception of the QEW'ers who poo-poo our city from the Skybridge. Heck the fact the city carved up a prestigious locale for the automobile still irks me, not sure about you.

Cut those emissions!

[SteelTown]

Premier Doug Ford was in Hamilton Tuesday (Feb. 15) for the announcement that the province would be contributing $500 million to the plan — matching the federal investment, which was announced last July.

https://www.insauga.com/green-steelt...el-production/