NEW YORK — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will make a decision on new environmental standards for ferroalloy producers by Dec. 10, an agency spokeswoman told AMM in an e-mail.

This is the second deadline extension for new standards, which could determine the fate of two domestic silicomanganese producers: Marietta, Ohio-based Eramet Marietta Inc. and Letart, W.Va.-based Felman Production Inc. The decision had been postponed to Sept. 14 from a previous June 29 deadline.

Both producers have said that the revised National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants, if too restrictive, could make it uneconomical to run their plants (amm.com, Jan. 10).

A possible expansion at Felman Production also hangs on the new rules (amm.com, July 30).