May 6, 2004 Mr. Christopher Jones, Director Ohio EPA 122 S. Front St. Columbus, OH 43215 Dear Director Jones, As you know, there is a great deal of public interest in the proposed U.S. Coking plant in Toledo. We are aware that the Labyrinth Management Group, on behalf of U.S. Coking Group, LLC is requesting changes in the permit terms. They have requested that the information to support the requested changes containing emissions information be handled as "confidential business information." The proposed facility is very complex, and ongoing revisions are being made to the draft permit. Under Ohio EPA's current schedule for this permit, both the public hearing and public comment period would be over before Ohio EPA has even made a final decision on the confidential business information claim. Therefore, we believe that it is Ohio EPA's duty to stop the current permit process for the U.S. Coking plant and restart it whenever the permit is complete and ready for public inspection. Although Ohio EPA's rush to grant this permit has been well-documented in the media, we are sure that the agency will want to grant sufficient public opportunities to comment on the potential addition of a major new source of toxic air pollution in the Toledo/Oregon area. Please let us know your decision. Sincerely, Sandy Bihn Maumee Bay Association 6565 Bayshore Road Oregon, Ohio 43618 Teresa Mills Buckeye Environmental Network 2319 Park Ridge Court Grove City, Ohio 43123 Sandy Buchanan Ohio Citizen Action 614 West Superior Avenue, Suite 1200 Cleveland, Ohio 44113 Anthony Szilagye Northwest Ohio Sierra Club 155 Maple Street Walbridge, Ohio 43465 Vicki Deisner Ohio Environmental Council 1207 Grandview Avenue, Suite 201 Columbus, Ohio 43212 Zoe Lipman National Wildlife Federation Great Lakes Natural Resource Center 213 West Liberty Street, Suite 200 Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104