NUCOR STEEL HEADLINESSteel Producers /
Nucor Steel
Nucor Part of Select Group Renewing Performance Track Commitments
Aug. 12, 2008 Nucor Steel’s Auburn Plant is one of 96 facilities that have renewed their membership in EPA's National Environmental Performance Track program.
Performance Track supplements EPA's existing regulatory activities by
Performance Track Program
Means Results
Since its inception in 2000, Performance Track members have set more than 3,500 goals for environmental improvements, many of which will achieve environmental results in areas that are not covered by current regulation.
Collectively, Performance Track members have saved enough energy to power 46,000 homes for one year, reduced greenhouse gases to offset the emissions of 57,000 cars for one year, and conserved or restored more than 16,000 acres of land and habitat.
|
encouraging facilities with strong environmental records to work toward goals that are beyond legal requirements. The program’s 506 members include facilities from major corporations, small businesses, and the public sector in 49 states and Puerto Rico.
Renewing Performance Track members must set four new environmental goals (such as reduced energy use), have an independent review of their environmental management system, and be screened by EPA for sustained compliance with environmental laws.
Nucor Steel Auburn Inc—a member of Performance Track since 2002—set goals including reducing total energy use through operational improvements at recent capital investments (including the new reheat furnace and new EAF), as well as reducing total water use through improved cooling tower operations and more aggressive recycling. The facility is also targeting reduced material use by working to reduce the amount of steel billets required to produce a ton of finished steel product; specific targets include improved process and quality control at the rolling mill. A second material-reduction goal is focused on reducing the amount of silica manganese alloy used per ton of (applicable) rebar product, which the facility is addressing through optimizing process chemistries as well as the residual manganese at melt-in.
To encourage renewing members to address EPA’s regional or national environmental priorities, Performance Track offers challenge goals, which are more demanding than standard environmental goals. For example, EPA Region 10 challenged members to reduce total greenhouse gas emissions by 10 percent. Hewlett Packard in Boise, Idaho, which achieved a 35% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions over the last three years, has accepted the regional challenge to reduce its emissions by an additional 10 percent over the next three years. EPA is challenging all Performance Track members to reduce their total water use by 15 percent. Lockheed Martin in East Camden, Arkansas, aims to meet that challenge by exploring options for reusing water within its facility.
Forty renewing members will work toward challenge goals over the next three years. Members also had a new challenge option—to preserve and protect at least 10 acres of habitat. This new challenge was developed by EPA, in consultation with the Wildlife Habitat Council, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agroforestry Center, and the World Conservation Union, marking the first time Performance Track has worked with outside groups on a challenge goal. Thirteen renewing members accepted the habitat challenge.