Steel Industry Compliance Extension Act of 1981

(Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 97-161)

Steel Industry Compliance Extension Act of 1981 - Amends the Clean Air Act to authorize the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to extend the date for compliance with emission limitation requirements by owners or operators of a stationary source in an iron- and steel-producing operation if: (1) the compliance date extension is necessary to allow the applicant to make capital investments in its operations to improve efficiency and productivity; (2) the funds freed by such extension will be used within two years for additional capital investments in the applicant's operations; (3) the Administrator and the applicant agree to a phased compliance program for each of the applicant's stationary sources; (4) the applicant has sufficient funds to comply with such program; (5) the applicant is in compliance with any existing Federal decrees applicable to its operations; and (6) the compliance date extension will not result in the degradation of air quality during the extension term.

Prohibits the imposition of a noncompliance penalty under the Clean Air Act upon an owner or operator with a compliance date extension provided their stationary source remains in compliance with all the requirements of such extension.

Makes available to the public all information obtained by the Administrator under this Act, subject to a specified exception.

Directs the Administrator to publish in the Federal Register notice of any finding made or other action taken, or failure or refusal to take action, by the Administrator in connection with consent decrees. Provides that such findings, actions, refusals, or failures shall be reviewable only by a court in which a specified civil action under such Act is brought against the stationary source owner or operator.

Provides that any person has the right to intervene in any judicial proceeding to establish such compliance schedule.

Provides that Federal judicial decrees or implementation plans under such Act may be modified to extend beyond 1985 a schedule of compliance for any source which receives such an extension under this Act.

States that revision of a State implementation plan is not required because a compliance date extension has been granted if such plan would have met Clean Air Act requirements prior to the granting of such extension.