West Virginia is the leading supplier of metallurgical coal used in coke production in the United States. EPA’s proposed coke oven proposals include several troubling provisions that that could have adverse effects on domestic production. The proposed regulations have the potential to exacerbate the already precarious state of coke production, which in turn could lead to more plant closures. SunCoke Energy’s coke production facilities in Ohio would be forced to undertake millions in capital upgrades and would need to take its coke ovens offline for up to thirty days for periodic testing. I have faith in the agency’s capacity to collaborate with producers in identifying effective means of emissions reductions that do not substantially threaten employment or domestic steel production.

Source: Daily Nation October 27, 2023 21:04 UTC