This is not a metaphorical cloud, but a literal cloud of yellow smoke emanating from New Ulm Steel & Recycling (NUSR).

Depending on the wind, the cloud might hang over the recycling facility, or it might blow into the residential neighborhood on Valley Street or German.

Nearly every day, at some point residents of Valley and German Street will see and smell the cloud.

Frank Rod Miller of German Street first alerted The Journal to this problem Oct. 24. He obtained photos and videos of the smoke.

From the residential side of Valley Street a yellow or sometimes orange smoke plume coming from NUSR is a common sight. The severity of the plume can vary from day, but neighbors say it happens daily.

Other neighbors documented similar incidents. Over the last month, Valley Street resident Kevin Watson recorded incidents where the smoke from NUSR travels across the road to his front yard.

The smoke cloud is not the first time NUSR has faced complaints from the neighborhood. The recycling facility has received complaints going back eight years. However, the original complaints were noise related. Several neighbors reported explosions coming from the facility.

In 2014, the recycling center was approved to construct a fence around the property to reduce noise transfer. The number of complaints diminished.

On Sept. 1, 2021, NUSR got new owners, Neil Byce and Grant Vanwyngeeren, and the noise complaints returned.

The Journal contacted NUSR in response to the recent complaints. Owner Neil Byce replied in an email:

Depending on the wind, smoke from NUSR will drift across across the railroad tracks into the residential neighborhood. This photo taken on Oct. 26 the smoke reached Valley Street creating a fog.

“New Ulm Steel and the recycled materials industry are regulated for air quality at both the state and federal levels. New Ulm Recycling takes these matters seriously as well as the concerns of the community. The current project we are engaged in is recycling end-of-life windmills into the products that our communities use every day, like appliances, automobiles, hospitals, roads, bridges, and many other things we value.”

The City of New Ulm conducted surveys of the noise at the property on Nov. 8 and Nov 9 and confirmed that NUSR exceeded the noise pollution standards. The statutory limits for a residential location.

The first standard is whether a site generates noise above 65 decibels 10% of the time in a given hour.

The second standard is whether a site generates noise exceeding 65 decibels for more than 50% of an hour. NUSR exceeded both noise thresholds.

In April 2022, NUSR announced a mitigation plan to reduce noise pollution, applying rubber matting to its feeder and increasing the height of perimeter fencing. The improvements were expected to be implemented in August.

Of the neighbors The Journal spoke with, none could confirm if the noise mitigation efforts had made a difference.

Miller confirmed vibrations from the recycling facility remain frequent. The vibration and smoke have created a problem for and Airbnb, which operates a half block from NUSR on German Street. Guests submitted complaints regarding vibrations, noise, smoke and odor coming from the facility.

“We are at a point where we have to warn our guests during the reservation process and apologize,” Miller said. “We have lost business as a result.”

Miller said he has reached out to the owners and city leaders, but nothing has changed and the problem has gotten worse.

Watson also believed the problem has worsened. He has lived on Valley Street since 2015 and said the problem has never been this bad. He acknowledged there were noise issues with the previous owners, but they were willing to work with their neighbors. The new management does not seem to care, he said, and now smoke is plaguing the neighborhood.

Watson said the severity of the smoke depends on the wind but seems to be getting worse. He said on Halloween the smoke cloud was especially bad. It was difficult to enjoy the holiday evening because of the conditions. The day after Halloween, he cleaned his window and found a layer of orange soot.

Watson is not the only Valley Street resident to report soot falling in the neighborhood. Other Valley Street residents who wished to remain anonymous reported similar experiences.

One resident who has lived in the neighborhood since the early 1990s said living next to NUSR was never an issue until recently. Under past ownership, the shredder would only run a few days a week, but since new ownership took over, the frequency of noise is increasing, but the smoke is the worse nuisance.

Residents are unable to keep their windows open. Even with the windows closed, the odor gets into their homes.

The smoke and odor may not be limited to Valley and German Street. Some residents have recognized the distinct burning smell from NUSR in other parts of the community.

Watson said when he visits his parents near Redstone Quarry, he can sometimes smell NUSR.

Watson believes many people throughout New Ulm have been smelling the smoke from the recycling facility and not realizing it; thinking it was a campfire or something else.

The recent air quality complaints were sent to New Ulm. City staff is aware of these complaints. Multiple neighbors have reported the air quality concerns to city representatives.

New Ulm City Planner John Knisley said the complaints were referred to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). The MPCA stated it has opened an active investigation regarding NUSR. As the investigation is ongoing, no formal statement was made. NUSR does have an Option-D Registration permit that regulates the type of material that can be discharged.

It is unknown when the MPCA will complete its investigation or what will be done if anything, but the neighborhood is hoping for solutions.

Part of the problem is linked to zoning. NUSR operates in an industrial zone that abuts residential zoning on two sides. Some of the residents have questioned whether an industrial operation of this scale should operate at this site.