EPA Issues Documents Related to the Secondary Aluminum MACT.

On September 14, EPA published three documents in the Federal Register related to the Secondary Aluminum MACT and AFS' legal challenge of that regulation. First, EPA published an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking to remove aluminum foundries and diecasters from the Secondary Aluminum MACT rule. This action explains that aluminum metalcasters were inappropriately included as part of the secondary metal production category, and will be removed and considered independently for regulatory purposes. Second, the agency issued a proposed rule to stay the applicability of the Secondary Aluminum MACT requirements from being enforced on aluminum foundry and diecasting operations. This action will protect aluminum metalcasters from being subjected to the requirements of the Secondary Aluminum MACT while the separate analysis of this industry is being undertaken. Third, EPA issued a notice for comment on the proposed settlement between EPA and the industry relating to the legal challenge of the Secondary Aluminum Production MACT standards. The proposed settlement was negotiated in July when several states were trying to require aluminum diecasting and foundry operations to file their Clean AirAct[section]63.9 Notifications under the Secondary Aluminum MACT. EPA agreed to defer the notification requirements and, instead, will allow completion of the information collection request forms under the independent review to suffice. The industry agreed to hold the legal challenge in obeyance while the separate efforts are being undertaken. All of these items can be found in the Federal Register dated September 14,2000 (65 FR No. 179) or by visiting EPA's website at www.epa.gov.