Steel Mills
![](https://www.steelmarketupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/media/k2/items/src/235ccacc4e5d4748c4ce01655ff18d9d.jpg)
Nucor Suit Against Big River Steel is Dismissed
Written by Sandy Williams
February 26, 2015
A federal judge on Wednesday dismissed Nucor’s lawsuit against future competitor Big River Steel. U.S. District Judge Leon Holmes said Nucor’s citizen lawsuit is not authorized under the Clean Air Act and the court has no jurisdiction over the case.
Nucor argued that Big River steel was violating emission standards by constructing the mill without a valid permit. A claim that Big River countered by arguing it does have a permit and it cannot be violating emissions because the mill is still under construction and not operational.
Holmes said that Nucor could not use the court to bypass permissions to build already authorized by Arkansas state regulators.
The decision was welcome news for Big River Steel which issued the following statement.
“Big River Steel is pleased by the decision of the federal district court to dismiss Nucor Steel-Arkansas’ and Nucor Yamato Steel Company’s (“Nucor”) legal challenge to the Big River Steel project that is currently under construction in Arkansas. As Big River Steel has previously stated, Nucor’s ongoing legal challenges aimed at preventing a competitor from entering the market is an abuse of the legal system.
Given that Nucor is the largest steel producer in North America with almost 25% of the steel production capacity, Big River Steel continues to wonder why Nucor is spending so much time and energy trying to prevent a company that will represent less than 1.5% of the North American steel production from entering the market. In some sense, Nucor’s efforts are a validation of the future success Big River Steel is likely to have.
Big River Steel’s construction efforts are well underway with hundreds of millions of dollars spent and hundreds of construction jobs created.”
Construction on Big River Steel commenced in September 2014 and is still on schedule for start up in late spring in 2016.
![](https://www.steelmarketupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/sandy-williams.jpeg)
Sandy Williams
Read more from Sandy WilliamsLatest in Steel Mills
![](https://www.steelmarketupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/images/Featured_News_Icons/Nucor.png)
Nucor lowers 2024 output estimate for Brandenburg plate mill
Nucor has lowered the 2024 production estimate for its Brandenburg, Ky., plate mill due to soft market conditions.
![](https://www.steelmarketupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/images/Featured_News_Icons/SSAB.png)
SSAB adjusts output in weak Q3, readies for Q4 rebound
SSAB said lower plate prices in the US were the primary reason for reduced results in the second quarter. With a dismal Q3 outlook, the Swedish steelmaker is adjusting production across its facilities. That includes moving up its annual US mill outage in anticipation of a better Q4. SSAB Americas Revenues in the Americas segment […]
![](https://www.steelmarketupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/images/Featured_News_Icons/Nucor.png)
Topalian puts focus on “unfair” trade, eyes USMCA partners
Nucor’s top executive expressed concerns over unfair trade practices, highlighting increased steel imports from Mexico and Canada.
![](https://www.steelmarketupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/images/Featured_News_Icons/Cliffs_logo2.2.png)
Cliffs sees close of Stelco buy, bottom to steel tags, and Mexico out of USMCA
Cleveland-Cliffs expects its acquisition of Canada’s Stelco to close later this year, which will help the the Cleveland-based steelmaker as a bottom to steel tags nears.
![](https://www.steelmarketupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/images/Featured_News_Icons/Nucor.png)
Nucor posts lower Q2 earnings, predicts tough Q3 too
Nucor recording lower second quarter earnings on falling steel prices. And the Charlotte, N.C.-based predicted that profits would be lower still in the third quarter, primarily because of weaker results from its steel mills divisions.