Gov. Dayton To Steel Company: Repay MN Vendors

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- Gov. Mark Dayton is pressuring a steel company that received a hefty government loan to quickly repay private Minnesota vendors or risk him seeking immediate reimbursement of the $66 million state note.

Dayton said Monday that he informed the head of Essar Steel Minnesota that he would call the state loan for repayment if companies also owed money weren't made whole by Wednesday. Essar has struggled to open a proposed $1.8 billion iron ore processing plant in northeastern Minnesota.

Company officials had been on notice before. Dayton says he was assured vendors would be paid in full by the end of October. State officials didn't immediately have details about the extent of the debt to vendors.

An Essar spokesman didn't immediately return a message seeking comment.

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