[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 133 (Wednesday, July 13, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41712-41713]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-14902]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[Petition IV-2021-7; FRL-9979-01-R4]


Clean Air Act Operating Permit Program; Petition for Objection to 
State Operating Permit for U.S. Steel Seamless Tubular Operations--
Fairfield Works Pipe Mill (Jefferson County, Alabama)

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of final order on petition to object to title V 
operating permit.

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SUMMARY: The EPA Administrator signed an Order, dated June 16, 2022, 
denying the petition submitted by Greater-Birmingham Alliance to Stop 
Pollution (Petitioner) objecting to a proposed modification to a Clean 
Air Act (CAA) title V operating permit issued to U.S. Steel Seamless 
Tubular Operations for its Fairfield Works Pipe Mill (Permittee) 
located in Jefferson County, Alabama. The Order responds to a June 7, 
2021, petition requesting that EPA object to the final operating permit 
no. 4-07-0371-09. This permitting action was a significant modification 
issued by the Jefferson County Department of Health (JCDH). The Order 
constitutes a final action on the petition addressed therein.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Order, the petition, and all pertinent 
information relating thereto are on file at the following location: EPA 
Region 4; Air and Radiation Division; 61 Forsyth Street, SW; Atlanta, 
Georgia 30303-8960. The Order is also available electronically at the 
following address: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-06/US%20Steel%20Order_6-16-22.pdf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Art Hofmeister, Air Permits Section, 
EPA Region 4, at (404) 562-9115 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The CAA affords EPA a 45-day period to 
review and, as appropriate, the authority to object to operating 
permits proposed by state permitting authorities under title V of the 
CAA, 42 U.S.C. 7661-7661f. Section 505(b)(2) of the CAA and 40 CFR 
70.8(d) authorize any person to petition the EPA Administrator to 
object to a title V operating permit within 60 days after the 
expiration of the EPA's 45-day review period if EPA has not objected on 
its own initiative. Petitions must be based only on objections to the 
permit that were raised with reasonable specificity during the public 
comment period provided by the permitting authority, unless the 
petitioner demonstrates that it was impracticable to raise these issues 
during the comment period or the grounds for the issues arose after 
this period. Pursuant to sections 307(b) and 505(b)(2) of the CAA, a 
petition for judicial review of those parts of the Order that deny 
issues in the petition may be filed in the United States Court of 
Appeals for the appropriate circuit within 60 days from the date this 
notice is published in the Federal Register.
    Petitioner submitted a petition requesting that EPA object to the 
CAA title V operating permit no. 4-07-0371-09 issued by JCDH to the 
Fairfield Works Pipe Mill. Petitioner claims: the public did not have a 
meaningful opportunity to comment on the applicability of major and 
minor new source review (NSR); the Permittee violated the state 
implementation plan by failing to commence construction of the electric 
arc furnace (EAF) within 24

[[Page 41713]]

months of JCDH's approval and, thus, required a new construction 
permit; JCDH failed to issue an NSR permit for the EAF both initially 
and after the failure to timely commence construction; and the permit 
failed to assure compliance with a valid NSR permit that should have 
been issued by JCDH.
    On June 16, 2022, the Administrator issued an Order denying the 
petition. The Order explains EPA's bases for denying the petition.

    Dated: July 5, 2022.
Daniel Blackman,
Regional Administrator, Region 4.
[FR Doc. 2022-14902 Filed 7-12-22; 8:45 am]
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