The Environmental Protection Agency wants to rid hazardous pollutants from cement, which could cause project delays and increased costs for developers.

By Nora Caley

If the U.S. environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has its way, wind developers can expect project delays and increased cement costs in the near future. That's because the EPA is proposing amendments to the current National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for portland cement.

The rules would add or revise emissions limits for mercury, total hydrocarbons and particulate matter from cement kilns.

Mercury and other gases are released during the heating process in manufacturing cement, which is made from gypsum, limestone and silica. The NESHAP rules, if adopted, would take effect in 2013.

While environmental groups say the rules are important and overdue, Skokie, Ill.-based Portland Cement Association (PCA) says the proposed rules would burden the domestic cement industry and endanger thousands of jobs.

Because a typical wind turbine foundation comprises about 400 cubic yards of concrete, rules affecting its manufacturing could dramatically affect costs, project timelines and the wind development itself. ...

The EPA performed cost-analysis models and estimated that changes to NESHAP will cause the average national price of portland cement to increase about 4% and production to decrease by 8%. Imports are expected to increase by approximately 2%. The costs of compliance could be $240 million or more. The models also predict that nationwide, the rules would save $4.4 billion to $11 billion in healthcare costs.