Effluent Limitations Guidelines, Pretreatment Standards, and New Source Performance Standards for the Iron and Steel Manufacturing Point Source Category

This action presents the Agency's proposed effluent limitations guidelines and standards for wastewater discharges from iron and steel facilities. The proposed regulation revises technology- based effluent limitations guidelines and standards for wastewater discharges associated with the operation of new and existing iron and steel facilities. This action covers sites that generate wastewater while performing the following industrial activities: Metallurgical cokemaking, ironmaking, integrated steelmaking, non-integrated steelmaking, hot forming, steel finishing including electroplating, and other operations including direct iron reduction, briquetting, and forging. EPA estimates that compliance with this regulation as proposed would reduce the discharge of priority and non-conventional pollutants by at least 210 million pounds per year and would cost an estimated $56.5 million to $61.4 million (1999 $, pre-tax) on an annual basis, with the range reflecting two options proposed for comment. In addition, EPA expects that discharges of conventional pollutants would be reduced, by at least 31.3 million pounds per year. EPA has estimated that the annual quantifiable benefits of the proposal would range from $1.1 million to $2.7 million.