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Nucor Corporation, Inc. Multimedia Settlement
Nucor Corporation, Inc. will spend nearly $100 million to settle an environmental suit alleging that it failed to control the amount of pollution released from its steel factories in seven states, under an agreement reached with the Justice Department and EPA. This is the largest and most comprehensive environmental settlement ever with a steel manufacturer.
The settlement, filed in U.S. District Court in Florence, SC, requires Nucor to undertake broad environmental improvements at its 14 facilities in Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Nebraska, South Carolina, Texas and Utah. The Charlotte, N.C.-based company also will pay a $9 million civil penalty and spend another $4 million on continued emissions monitoring of hazardous pollutants and environmental projects to benefit the communities where the factories are located.
The agreement covers eight Nucor "mini-mills," which produce steel by melting scrap metal in large electric arc furnaces, and six steel fabrication plants, where the final molding and painting of steel products occurs. The settlement resolves allegations, contained in a federal complaint filed along with the agreement, that Nucor violated environmental standards regulating the release of pollutants into the air, water, and soil. The complaint alleges that Nucor's failure to control air pollution resulted in thousands of tons of illegal air emissions each year. In addition the complaint alleges that Nucor mismanaged K061 dust, a hazardous waste produced by the steel furnaces. This dust, which contains lead and cadmium was disposed of improperly at Nucor factories, where it contaminated soil and groundwater. The dust also was discharged illegally through wastewater and storm water. The alleged environmental laws violated include the Clean Air Act (CAA), Clean Water Act (CWA), Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA), and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Four states -- Arkansas, Utah, South Carolina, and Nebraska - joined in the settlement with Nucor.
- Press Release
- Press Fact Sheet (PDF) (12K, 3 pp)
- Consent Decree (PDF) (322K, 228 pp)
- Enforcement Alert: "U.S. EPA Encourages Iron and Steel 'Minimills' to Self Audits to Address Noncompliance with Environmental Requirements; Nucor Corp. Agrees to Control Practices; Provides Model for Industry" (PDF) (December 2000) (50K, 4 pp)
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