Integrated Iron and Steel Manufacturing: National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants

Rule Summary

This rule establishes national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP) for integrated iron and steel manufacturing facilities. The final standards establish emission limitations for hazardous air pollutants (HAP) emitted from new and existing sinter plants, blast furnaces, and basic oxygen process furnace (BOPF) shops. The final standards will implement section 112(d) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) by requiring all major sources to meet HAP emission standards reflecting application of the maximum achievable control technology (MACT).

The HAP emitted by integrated iron and steel manufacturing facilities include metals (primarily manganese and lead with small quantities of other metals) and trace amounts of organic HAP (such as polycyclic organic matter, benzene, and carbon disulfide). Exposure to these substances has been demonstrated to cause adverse health effects, including chronic and acute disorders of the blood, heart, kidneys, reproductive system, and central nervous system.

On August 14, 2024, EPA issued a decision to voluntarily reconsider certain aspects of the amendments to the Integrated Iron and Steel (II&S) NESHAP that were finalized on April 3, 2024. The EPA received three petitions for reconsideration seeking review of numerous issues related to the final rule and has decided to voluntarily reconsider the following three aspects:

Work practice standards for unmeasured fugitive and intermittent particulate (UFIP) from unplanned bleeder valve openings;
Work practice standards for UFIP from beaching; and
Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) emission limit for hydrochloric acid (HCl) point-source emissions from blast furnace (BF) casthouses.

Additionally, EPA intends to issue a correction notice to address certain errors and needed clarifications in the II&S final rule that were brought to our attention by these petitions.