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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