Clean Air Act Operating Permit Program; Order on Petition for Objection to State Operating Permits for Cleveland-Cliffs Steel LLC, Indiana Harbor

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-13254-01-R5]

Clean Air Act Operating Permit Program; Order on Petition for Objection to State Operating Permits for Cleveland-Cliffs Steel LLC, Indiana Harbor

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Notice of final order on petition.

SUMMARY:

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator signed an order dated February 3, 2026, denying a petition dated June 2, 2025, from the Environmental Law & Policy Center, the Conservation Law Center, the Environmental Integrity Project, BP & Whiting Watch, Gary Advocates for Responsible Development, Indiana Conservation Voters, Just Transition Northwest Indiana, Mighty Earth, and Northern Lake County Environmental Partnership. The petition requested that the EPA object to two Clean Air Act (CAA) title V operating permits issued by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) to Cleveland-Cliffs Steel LLC, Indiana Harbor for its integrated steel mill located in East Chicago, Lake County, Indiana.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Paymon Danesh, Air and Radiation Division (AR 18J), Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5, 77 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60604, telephone: (312) 886-6219, email:

danesh.paymon@epa.gov.

The final order and petition are available electronically at:

https://www.epa.gov/title-v-operating-permits/title-v-petition-database.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The EPA received a petition from the Environmental Law & Policy Center, the Conservation Law Center, the Environmental Integrity Project, BP & Whiting Watch, Gary Advocates for Responsible Development, Indiana Conservation Voters, Just Transition Northwest Indiana, Mighty Earth, and Northern Lake County Environmental Partnership dated June 2, 2025, requesting that the EPA object to the issuance of operating permit nos. 089-46463-00316 and 089-46464-00318, issued by IDEM to Cleveland-Cliffs Steel LLC, Indiana Harbor in East Chicago, Lake County, Indiana. On February 3, 2026, the EPA Administrator issued an order denying the petition. The order itself explains the basis for the EPA's decision.

Sections 307(b) and 505(b)(2) of the CAA provide that a petitioner may request judicial review of those portions of an order that deny issues in a petition. Any petition for review shall be filed in the United States Court of Appeals for the appropriate circuit no later than May 4, 2026.

Authority:

42 U.S.C. 7401

et seq.

Dated: February 25, 2026.

Anne Vogel,

Regional Administrator, Region 5.

[FR Doc. 2026-04335 Filed 3-4-26; 8:45 am]

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