The EPA wanted to clean up steel mills. Then a group of Rust Belt senators got involved.

In early March, a group of Democratic senators representing the Rust Belt wrote a letter to President Joe Biden. They praised the bipartisan infrastructure law and the Inflation Reduction Act as historic achievements but expressed concern about the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed regulations for integrated iron and steel mills. The senators, including Joe Manchin and John Fetterman, warned that the regulations could deter investment in the steel industry. The EPA’s final rule, unveiled shortly after, is expected to reduce emissions by 64 tons per year, less than the originally proposed 79 tons. The new regulations give steel companies two years to update facilities with emission reduction equipment. Critics, including Earthjustice attorney Jim Pew, see the rule as a step in the right direction but lament the removal of some safeguards. Steel production is a major polluter, with toxic emissions harming surrounding communities. The senators’ involvement in the rulemaking process is a rare occurrence, emphasizing the significant impact of air pollution regulations on public health. Steel mills are concentrated around Lake Michigan and have been linked to impaired health outcomes in nearby communities. Despite concerns raised by the senators and steel industry CEOs, the costs of implementing the new rules are relatively small compared to industry revenues. Former EPA official Bruce Buckheit praised the new rule, arguing that it meets Clean Air Act standards and refutes industry claims of excessive costs.