AISI Applauds EPA’s Reconsideration of Onerous Air Rules

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Kevin Dempsey, president and CEO of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), today applauded the announcement by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin that the agency is reconsidering 31 onerous regulations, including five key rules that impact the American steel industry:

“The past four years have seen EPA impose costly and at times technically unachievable emission limits on steelmakers. AISI, on behalf of American steelmakers, is very pleased that Administrator Zeldin is taking a hard look at many of these burdensome and duplicative regulations — including several air emissions rules that adversely impact the American steel industry.

“AISI strongly supports EPA’s reconsideration of emission limits on integrated facilities, taconite ore processors and coke plants. The previous administration imposed these three onerous and costly regulations on the steel industry which would adversely impact nearly every step and aspect of the integrated steelmaking process, degrade the international competitiveness of our critical domestic steel sector, and threaten quality middle-class jobs despite EPA’s own scientific findings that the existing emissions standards already provide an ample margin of safety against risks to public health and the environment.

“We also applaud the reconsideration of the stringent particulate matter (PM2.5) national ambient air quality standard set by the last administration that would result in excessive costs and lost growth opportunities for steel producers. American steel producers are among the cleanest in the world and have invested significantly in state-of-the-art technologies to continually improve our operations. We look forward to the issuance of a common sense standard that is protective of human health while allowing for continued progress and growth in American steelmaking.

“We were also encouraged to hear that EPA is reconsidering the Cross State Air Pollution Rule (Good Neighbor Plan). The impact of these requirements would have imposed significant costs on a steel industry that already controls its nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions under other existing regulatory requirements, for little or no impact on downwind ozone.

“We look forward to working with EPA as it reconsiders these regulations to ensure continued innovation and growth in the world-leading American steel industry.”

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Contact: Lisa Harrison

202.452.7115 / lharrison@steel.org

AISI serves as the voice of the American steel industry in the public policy arena and advances the case for steel in the marketplace as the preferred material of choice. AISI’s membership is comprised of integrated and electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmakers, steel pipe and tube manufacturers, and steel processors and fabricators reflecting the production and distribution of both carbon and stainless steels which are critical to the everyday lives of all Americans — including national security, roads and bridges, buildings, the electrical grid, clean energy technologies and the automotive market. AISI also represents associate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry. For more news about steel and its applications, view AISI’s website at www.steel.org. Follow AISI on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter (@AISISteel) or Instagram.