ICV Testimony at EPA Coke Oven Pollution Hearing in Gary, Indiana
On September 4, Indiana Conservation Voters Executive Director Megan Robertson delivered testimony at the Environmental Protection Agency’s public hearing on proposed national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants from coke ovens. Her remarks emphasized the urgent need to strengthen protections for Hoosier communities living with the health and environmental impacts of heavy industry. Below is the full text of her testimony.
“Chair and members of the hearing panel,
“Thank you for the opportunity to speak on behalf of Indiana Conservation Voters.
“This issue is not just professional for me—it is personal. I grew up in Portage, and my grandparents lived in Lake Station. Both spent their lives working in the mills. My grandfather was an electrician, and my grandmother worked in the coke plant itself. Like so many families in Northwest Indiana, ours experienced firsthand both the promise of good union jobs and the price our communities have paid in pollution and health risks.
“Indiana Conservation Voters champions policies that improve our state’s environment, economy, and competitive edge. We know that responsible rules can both protect health and support a modern industrial economy. But today, Lake County ranks among the very worst in the nation for toxic releases. Families in these communities already suffer higher rates of cancer, asthma, and other pollution-linked illnesses.
“That is why these rules for coke ovens are so critical. Stronger leak limits, fenceline monitoring for benzene, and tougher detection protocols are not abstract requirements—they are safeguards that can prevent suffering and save lives.
“Every year of delay means another year of preventable exposure, another year of harm for the people I grew up with. Where fenceline monitoring can be done by community groups themselves, there is no justification for pushing compliance deadlines back.
“Clean air is a right—not a privilege. The EPA must stand firm on its timeline and require immediate compliance with these protections. The people of Northwest Indiana, including families like mine, deserve nothing less.
“Thank you.”
Megan Robertson
Executive Director
Indiana Conservation Voters
