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MIDDLETOWN — Reminiscent of the old Maytag commercials about the lonely repairman, two representatives of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Chicago offices spent three hours Monday in the chambers of Middletown City Council for an informational meeting and public hearing.

Unlike other recent public hearings as of late, no area resident stopped by to seek more information or to comment about a proposed re-issuance of a land ban exemption for AK Steel Corp.'s hazardous waste injection wells at 1801 Crawford St.

AK Steel is seeking a renewal of its current exemption which was originally approved in 1990.

Leslie Patterson, an EPA geologist, said the pickling liquor that is used in the steelmaking process, is the hazardous waste that is injected into the two deep wells.

If the EPA approves re-issuing the exemption, it would expire on Sept. 30, 2017, she said.

Patterson said only one comment on the proposed exemption re-issuance has been received — that was from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency concerning a typographical error on one of the documents that was submitted.

Residents have until Aug. 5 to submit any public comments and can do so by contacting Patterson at (312) 886-4904 or via email at patterson.leslie@epa.gov.