Big River Steel Gets Stay Lifted, Two More Reviews To Go

The Big River Steel superproject cleared an important – but not final – hurdle on Friday.

The $1.1 billion steel mill slated for Osceola has been tied up in a regulatory hearing as a chief rival, Nucor Steel, has asked for a re-examination of the air quality permits approved for Big River Steel by the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality.

On Friday, an administrative law judge lifted a stay that was blocking potential construction activities for the project. With the ruling, Big River Steel can begin site preparation work and move forward with initial construction planning.

The move also is a sign of confidence for investors in the project, which includes a consortium of domestic and overseas financial groups. There are still two more hearings to review the air permits obtained by Big River Steel related to the deal.

Katherine Miller, spokesperson for Nucor Steel, released the following statement on Friday (Jan. 24) after the hearing.

“Today, Nucor Steel Arkansas and Nucor-Yamato Steel Company opposed the lifting of an automatic stay on an air permit issued by the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality to Big River Steel, LLC for a new steel mill in Northeast Arkansas. Nucor has challenged certain aspects of the permit with the Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology Commission. With the hearing before the Administrative Law Judge scheduled for February 18-22, 2014, and an expected final hearing on or about March 22, 2014, the stay should remain in place.

“As two of the many local manufacturing facilities which will be impacted by the emissions from the proposed Big River Steel project, Nucor Steel Arkansas and Nucor-Yamato Steel Company want to ensure that the Clean Air Act’s requirements are evenly-applied and properly followed, and that the proposed Big River Steel project will not adversely impact the local community and its ability to grow.”