&EPA
                    FACT SHEET
United States Environmental Protection      Office of Water         EPA-821-F-05-002
Agency                          4303T               August 2005
                    IRON AND STEEL MANUFACTURING
                    Proposed Amendments to the Effluent Limitations Guidelines
	for the Iron and Steel Manufacturing Point Source Category


EPA published a proposal to make minor changes to the effluent guidelines for the Iron and Steel
Manufacturing Industry. The Agency has proposed to restore the provision that authorizes
alternative oil and grease limitations and to correct errors in the effective date of those new source
performance standards for this industry.

Background

In October 2002, EPA promulgated an amendment to the iron and steel regulations. This
amendment, among other things, changed the scope of the water bubble provision to exclude oil and
grease trading. The Agency is concerned about the differences in the types of oil and  grease used
among iron and steel operations. The water bubble offers regulatory flexibility allowing the iron and
steel industry to trade identical pollutants at any mill that discharges into surface waters at more than
one location. In response to a petition from the regulated community and upon further review, the
Agency made several minor changes that allow oil and grease trading with the restriction described
below.

About the Proposed Rule

The proposal would restore the provision authorizing alternative oil and grease limitations for iron
and steel mills that discharge into surface waters at more than one location.

The proposed changes to the rule would prohibit the trading of sintering process oil and grease unless
the alternative limitations are more stringent than the current rule.

The current regulations do contain one restriction that would apply to oil and grease trading.
Cokemaking process wastewater trading is prohibited unless the alternative limitations are more
stringent than the current rule.

Finally, the proposed amendment would correct a date for new source performance  standards that was
incorrectly transcribed from the version signed by the Administrator in 2002.
Environmental Benefits and Cost of the Proposed Rule

EPA anticipates no changes in environmental benefits and compliance costs.

Additional Information

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For more information, please call Elwood Forsht at 202-566-1025 or send an email to
forsht.elwood@epa. gov. You can also learn more about this proposed rule, including how to submit
comments to EPA, by visiting EPA's Internet web site at http://www.epa.gov/waterscience.

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