But as U. S. Steel Canada’s president Doug Matthews told councillors this week during a special committee-of-the-whole meeting, it will take tens of millions of dollars and between three and five years to repair what he characterized as “distress assets” at U. S. Steel to properly improve its environment record. He also stated that even though the company is committed to cleaning up its business to prevent further environmental problems, despite the global economic crisis, things could change in the long-run if the world-wide steel market continues to drop.

Mr. Matthews said the company has spent about $11 million since it acquired Stelco a year ago to upgrade its environmental procedures.

Mr. Matthews, along with Columbia Chemical’s General Manager Brian Young and Jim Stirling, general manager, environment at ArcelorMittal, appeared before council this week in response to the ongoing pollution problems in Hamilton’s east end, particularly the continuing black soot fallouts.

In September, councillors approved a motion asking the province to crack down on area businesses they believe are contributing to the periodic black soot releases that have blanketed areas of lower Hamilton.

For the last two years residents in Hamilton’s northeast area have been complaining about black soot fallouts from area companies. Between July 11 and August 7, U. S. Steel released three black clouds, while in August there were two visible releases of black clouds from ArcelorMittal Dofasco from its blast furnace after it was restarted following a week-long shutdown.

Hamilton has filed an investigation under the Environmental Bill of Rights and has asked the Environment Commissioner to address the issue.

Monitor polluters

After nearly four hours of questions and presentations, councillors approved a number of motions, including asking staff to study appointing an environmental commissioner to monitor polluters in the city, and creating a process that would encourage industries to report air emissions to the city, and the Environment Ministry.

Councillors also want city staff to identify the businesses not associated with the Hamilton Air Monitoring Network, an industry- created and financed organization, to get them to join the network.

“We need to go beyond the three companies,” said Ward 5 councillor Chad Collins.

In addition, politicians want U. S. Steel Canada, Columbia Chemicals and Arcelor- Mittal to provide updates on their abatement plans, which company officials said were appropriate.

U. S. Steel’s Mr. Matthews said his company has changed its environmental protocols and has taken responsibility for some of the black soot fallout that has affected homeowners in the area.

The Environment Ministry’s District Manager for the Southwest Region, Geoffrey Knapper, told councillors the number of black soot fallouts in 2008 “were not acceptable” and assured residents, environmentalists and politicians the provincial ministry takes the issue very seriously.

He said the MOE is still investigating a number of the incidents.