EPA Keeps Tabs on Acid Baths: Steel Plant Paperwork Renewed Until 2028
Published Date: 11/18/2025
Notice
Summary
The EPA is asking to keep collecting info from steel pickling and hydrochloric acid plants to make sure they follow pollution rules. This renewal won’t add new costs but keeps the paperwork going through November 2028. If you work at or with these plants, you can share your thoughts by December 18, 2025.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 3 costs, 0 mixed.
Mandatory reporting continues for HCl plants
If you own or operate a steel pickling, HCl process, or HCl regeneration plant, you must keep submitting required notifications, performance tests, periodic reports, and records under 40 CFR part 63, subpart CCC. The ICR renewal keeps these mandatory paperwork duties in place through November 2028.
Paperwork burden: 100 respondents, 35,000 hours
EPA estimates 100 respondents (owners/operators) will respond annually, totaling 35,000 hours of paperwork burden each year and $4,800,000 in total annual costs, which includes $14,700 in annualized capital or O&M costs. The reporting is mandatory under 40 CFR part 63, subpart CCC.
No change in burden; slight cost updates
EPA states there is no change in the paperwork burden since the last ICR, but there is a slight increase in O&M costs due to updating the CEPCI index to 2023 and a slight increase in respondent burden costs from using updated Bureau of Labor Statistics labor rates. These cost changes are described for the annual estimate.
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