[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Page 2781]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     STEEL INDUSTRY FUEL TAX CREDIT

  Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I have sought recognition to talk about 
two subjects--first, an amendment filed by Senator Rockefeller, 
amendment No. 3371 to amendment No. 3336, cosponsored by Senator Hatch, 
Senator Baucus, Senator Casey, Senator Bayh, and myself.
  This amendment would extend the steel industry fuel tax credit and 
make minor technical corrections to ensure that the steel industry will 
continue to recycle the hazardous waste called coal waste sludge. The 
recycling process which converts coal waste sludge into steel industry 
fuel eliminates a hazardous waste, ends the need to landfill or 
incinerate the waste, displaces fuel from the coking process, and 
increases the efficiency of coke-making. This recycling process makes 
the production of coke more efficient and cost-effective. Additionally, 
this provision will create jobs across the country and preserve 
thousands of fuel-making jobs in economically hard hit States.
  The technical corrections made by this amendment cover minor issues 
such as who has title to the coal in the few minutes before it enters 
the coke ovens and whether a minuscule percentage of the feedstock is 
pure coal or a material called pet coke.
  The extension of the tax credit and these minor technical corrections 
will ensure this credit can actually be used by processors and the 
steel industry. I am advised that all of the integrated steel companies 
and the representatives of their workers support this provision, which 
is a rarity in any industry.
  We have been working for nearly a decade to ensure the widespread use 
of this technology in coke ovens across the country. Across 
Pennsylvania, coke ovens continue to be used as the engine that drives 
the American industrial machine. I have long been committed to ensuring 
we use the cleanest and most efficient method for making steel and in 
this case, the coke that is an ingredient in the steel-making process.
  This is an extender right in line with the thrust of the legislation, 
an extender which would save many jobs and add many more jobs. So it is 
right in line with what we are seeking to accomplish.

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