Three-fourths of
all American steel
is recycled, part
of the industry’s
clear environmental commitment.
U.S. EPA Issues Major Ruling on CO2
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ruled on April 17, 2009 that CO2 and other gases are health threats, opening the way for EPA regulation of these gases under the Clean Air Act for the first time in history. AISI has historically been opposed to EPA regulating carbon emissions under the auspices of the Clean Air Act.
“The Clean Air Act is not the appropriate vehicle for regulating CO2,” said Thomas J. Gibson, president and CEO, AISI. “A legislative solution is the correct avenue for addressing this issue, as EPA Administrator Jackson herself has acknowledged. Any legislative solution needs to address the huge increase in costs that energy intensive industries will face, the need for allowances for direct and indirect emissions and a border adjustment mechanism.”
The EPA announcement did not contain any specific targets for reductions or new requirements for energy efficiency. There will now be a 60 day comment period before any proposals for regulations will be published by the EPA. For more information, contact Nancy Gravatt.