Item 2.
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
During the first quarter of 2015, the Company adjusted its operating footprint by temporarily reducing its production levels within its Flat-Rolled and Tubular segments as well as permanently shutting down certain of its coke production facilities. Management may continue to further adjust the Company's operations in 2015. Customer order rates for our products, market demand, economic conditions as well as import levels will determine the size and duration of these adjustments.
The consolidated results for the three months ended March 31, 2015 do not reflect the results of U. S. Steel Canada (USSC) due to USSC’s filing for creditor protection pursuant to Canada’s Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) on September 16, 2014. The consolidated statement of operations, consolidated statement of comprehensive income (loss) and consolidated statement of cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2014 include the results for USSC.
Net sales by segment for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 are set forth in the following table:
| Three Months Ended March 31, |
| (Dollars in millions, excluding intersegment sales) | 2015 | 2014 | %Change |
| Flat-Rolled Products (Flat-Rolled) | $ | 2,194 | $ | 3,027 | (28 | )% |
| U. S. Steel Europe (USSE) | 691 | 759 | (9 | )% |
| Tubular Products (Tubular) | 371 | 643 | (42 | )% |
| Total sales from reportable segments | 3,256 | 4,429 | (26 | )% |
| Other Businesses | 16 | 19 | (16 | )% |
| Net sales | $ | 3,272 | $ | 4,448 | (26 | )% |

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Management’s analysis of the percentage change in net sales for U. S. Steel’s reportable business segments for the three months ended March 31, 2015 versus the three months ended March 31, 2014 is set forth in the following table:
| Steel Products (a) |
| Volume | Price | Mix | FX (b) | Coke &Other | NetChange |
| Flat-Rolled | (24 | )% | — | % | — | % | — | % | (4 | )% | (28 | )% |
| USSE | 22 | % | (10 | )% | (1 | )% | (20 | )% | — | % | (9 | )% |
| Tubular | (46 | )% | 4 | % | 2 | % | — | % | (2 | )% | (42 | )% |

(a) Excludes intersegment sales
(b) Foreign currency translation effects
Net sales were $3,272 million in the three months ended March 31, 2015, compared with $4,448 million in the same period last year. The decrease in sales for the Flat-Rolled segment primarily reflected a decrease in shipments (decrease of 1,057 thousand net tons) as a result of market conditions and the deconsolidation of USSC (represents 559 thousand net tons of the total decrease). The decrease in sales for the USSE segment was primarily due to the strengthening of the U.S. dollar versus the euro in the three months ended March 31, 2015 as compared to the same period in 2014 (decrease in average exchange rate of 0.24) and lower average realized euro-based prices (decrease of €47 per net ton) partially offset by higher shipments (increase of 233 thousand net tons). The decrease in sales for the Tubular segment primarily reflected lower shipments (decrease of 199 thousand net tons) as a result of reduced drilling activity caused by low crude oil prices and continued high import levels partially offset by higher average realized prices (increase of $158 per net ton).
Pension and other benefits costs
Pension and other benefit costs are reflected in our cost of sales and selling, general and administrative expense line items in the consolidated statements of operations.
Defined benefit and multiemployer pension plan costs totaled $71 million in the three months ended March 31, 2015, compared to $84 million in the three months ended March 31, 2014. The $13 million decrease is primarily due to the natural maturation of our pension plans, partially offset by a lower discount rate and expected return on assets assumptions.
Costs related to defined contribution plans totaled $11 million in the three months ended March 31, 2015, compared to $12 million in the three months ended March 31, 2014.
Other benefit costs totaled $(9) million in the three months ended March 31, 2015, compared to $3 million in the three months ended March 31, 2014. The $12 million decrease is primarily due to the deconsolidation of USSC.
Net periodic pension cost, including multiemployer plans, is expected to total approximately $275 million in 2015. Total other benefits costs in 2015 are expected to be a benefit of approximately $(35) million. The pension cost projection includes approximately $75 million of contributions to the Steelworkers Pension Trust.
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| Hypothetical RateIncrease (Decrease) |
| (Dollars in millions) | 1% | (1)% |
| Expected return on plan assets |
| Incremental (decrease) increase in: |
| Net periodic pension cost | $ | (77 | ) | $ | 77 |
| Discount rate |
| Incremental (decrease) increase in: |
| Net periodic pension & other benefits costs | $ | (35 | ) | $ | 56 |
| Health care cost escalation trend rates |
| Incremental increase (decrease) in: |
| Service and interest cost components for 2015 | $ | 5 | $ | (4 | ) |

Non-retirement postemployment benefits
U. S. Steel incurred costs of approximately $14 million for the three months ended March 31, 2015 related to employee costs for supplemental unemployment benefits and the continuation of health care benefits and life insurance coverage for employees associated with the temporary idling of certain facilities and reduced production at others. Payments for these benefits during the three months ended March 31, 2015 were insignificant. There were no significant costs incurred during the three months ended March 31, 2014.
Selling, general and administrative expenses
Selling, general and administrative expenses were $102 million in the three months ended March 31, 2015, compared to $138 million in the three months ended March 31, 2014. The decrease is primarily related to lower pension and other benefits costs as discussed above.
Restructuring and Other Charges
During the three months ended March 31, 2015, the Company recorded a charge of $153 million, which is reported in restructuring and other charges in the consolidated statement of operations, related to the permanent shutdown of the cokemaking operations at Gary Works and Granite City Works, within our Flat-Rolled segment. In addition to the write-down of assets, the charge also includes employee related costs, including costs for severance, supplemental unemployment benefits (SUB) and continuation of health care benefits of $18 million and other shutdown costs, primarily environmental.
During the three months ended March 31, 2014, the Company recorded severance related charges of $2 million for headcount reductions within our Flat-Rolled segment related to our Canadian operations prior to the deconsolidation of USSC. Cash payments were made related to severance and exit costs of $4 million. Favorable adjustments for changes in estimates on restructuring reserves were made for $8 million.
Charges for restructuring and ongoing cost reduction initiatives are recorded in the period the Company commits to a restructuring or cost reduction plan, or executes specific actions contemplated by the plan and all criteria for liability recognition have been met. Charges related to the restructuring and cost reductions include severance costs, accelerated depreciation, asset impairments and other closure costs.
Management believes its actions with regard to the Company’s operations will have a positive impact on the Company’s annual cash flows of approximately $125 million to $150 million over the course of subsequent annual periods as a result of decreased payroll and benefits costs, capital savings and other idle facility costs. Also, the actions will result in other non-cash savings of approximately $90 million, primarily related to reduced depreciation expense in future periods. Additionally, management does not believe there will be any significant impacts related to the Company’s revenues as a result of these actions.
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Earnings before interest and income taxes (EBIT) by segment for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 is set forth in the following table:
| Three Months Ended March 31, | %Change |
| (Dollars in millions) | 2015 | 2014 |
| Flat-Rolled | $ | (67 | ) | $ | 85 | NM |
| USSE | 37 | 32 | 16 | % |
| Tubular | 1 | 24 | (96 | )% |
| Total earnings from reportable segments | (29 | ) | 141 | NM |
| Other Businesses | 8 | 13 | (38 | )% |
| Segment EBIT | (21 | ) | 154 | NM |
| Items not allocated to segments: |
| Postretirement benefit expense | (13 | ) | (32 | ) | (59 | )% |
| Other items not allocated to segments: |
| Loss on shutdown of coke production facilities | (153 | ) | — | 100 | % |
| Total EBIT | $ | (187 | ) | $ | 122 | (100 | )% |

Segment results for Flat-Rolled
| Three Months Ended March 31, | %Change |
| 2015 | 2014 |
| Earnings before interest and taxes ($ millions) | $ | (67 | ) | $ | 85 | NM |
| Gross margin | 4 | % | 9 | % | (5 | )% |
| Raw steel production (mnt) | 2,868 | 4,491 | (36 | )% |
| Capability utilization | 60 | % | 83 | % | (23 | )% |
| Steel shipments (mnt) | 2,617 | 3,674 | (29 | )% |
| Average realized steel price per ton | $ | 768 | $ | 761 | (a) | 1 | % |

(a) Average realized steel price per ton excluding USSC was $774 for the three months ended March 31, 2014.
The decrease in Flat-Rolled results for the three months ended March 31, 2015 compared to the same period in 2014 resulted from higher repairs and maintenance and other operating costs (approximately $115 million), lower shipment volumes (approximately $75 million), lower average realized prices excluding USSC, see footnote (a) to the table above,(approximately $60 million), and lower steel substrate sales to our Tubular segment (approximately $40 million). These changes were partially offset by lower raw materials costs (approximately $70 million), lower energy costs (approximately $55 million), and lower costs for profit-based payments (approximately $20 million).
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Segment results for USSE
| Three Months Ended March 31, | %Change |
| 2015 | 2014 |
| Earnings before interest and taxes ($ millions) | $ | 37 | $ | 32 | 16 | % |
| Gross margin | 11 | % | 8 | % | 3 | % |
| Raw steel production (mnt) | 1,283 | 1,141 | 12 | % |
| Capability utilization | 104 | % | 93 | % | 11 | % |
| Steel shipments (mnt) | 1,264 | 1,031 | 23 | % |
| Average realized steel price per ton | $ | 530 | $ | 710 | (25 | )% |

The increase in USSE results for the three months ended March 31, 2015 compared to the same period in 2014 was primarily due to lower raw materials costs (approximately $100 million) and higher shipment volumes (approximately $20 million). These changes were partially offset by lower average realized euro-based prices (approximately $65 million) and the strengthening of the U.S. dollar versus the euro in the three months ended March 31, 2015 as compared to the same period in 2014 (approximately $45 million).
Segment results for Tubular
| Three Months Ended March 31, | %Change |
| 2015 | 2014 |
| Earnings before interest and taxes ($ millions) | $ | 1 | $ | 24 | (96 | )% |
| Gross margin | 7 | % | 7 | % | — | % |
| Steel shipments (mnt) | 220 | 419 | (47 | )% |
| Average realized steel price per ton | $ | 1,637 | $ | 1,479 | 11 | % |

The decrease in Tubular results for the three months ended March 31, 2015 as compared to the same period in 2014 was primarily due to decreased shipment volumes (approximately $40 million) and increased repairs and maintenance and other operating costs (approximately $15 million), partially offset by an increase in average realized prices (approximately $25 million).
Results for Other Businesses
Other Businesses had income of $8 million in the three months ended March 31, 2015, compared to income of $13 million in the three months ended March 31, 2014.
Items not allocated to segments
The decrease in postretirement benefit expense in the three months ended March 31, 2015 as compared to the same period in 2014 resulted from lower pension and retiree medical expenses as a result of the natural maturation of our pension plans and better claims cost experience, partially offset by a lower discount rate.
We recorded a $153 million loss on shutdown of coke production facilities as a result of the permanent closure of our Gary Works and Granite City Works coke facilities.
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Net interest and other financial costs
| Three Months Ended March 31, | %Change |
| (Dollars in millions) | 2015 | 2014 |
| Interest expense | $ | 51 | $ | 61 | (16 | )% |
| Interest income | — | (1 | ) | (100 | )% |
| Other financial costs | 11 | 9 | 22 | % |
| Total net interest and other financial costs | $ | 62 | $ | 69 | (10 | )% |

The decrease in net interest and other financial costs in the three months ended March 31, 2015 as compared to the same period last year is primarily related to the deconsolidation of the Province Note and the redemption of the 4.00% Senior Convertible Notes due May 15, 2014.
The income tax benefit was $174 million in the three months ended March 31, 2015 compared to a provision of $1 million in the three months ended March 31, 2014. The tax provision reflects a benefit for percentage depletion in excess of cost depletion for iron ore that we produce and consume or sell. The tax provision does not reflect any tax benefit for pretax losses in Canada, prior to the deconsolidation on September 16, 2014, which is a jurisdiction where we had recorded a full valuation allowance on deferred tax assets. Included in the tax provision in the first three months of 2015 is a net tax benefit of $31 million relating to the adjustment of certain tax reserves.
The net domestic deferred tax asset was $557 million at March 31, 2015 compared to $318 million at December 31, 2014. A substantial amount of U. S. Steel’s domestic deferred tax assets relates to employee benefits that will become deductible for tax purposes over an extended period of time as cash contributions are made to employee benefit plans and retiree benefits are paid in the future. We continue to believe it is more likely than not that the net domestic deferred tax asset will be realized.
At March 31, 2015, the net foreign deferred tax asset was $14 million, net of an established valuation allowance of $5 million. At December 31, 2014, the net foreign deferred tax asset was $29 million, net of an established valuation allowance of $5 million. The net foreign deferred tax asset will fluctuate as the value of the U.S. dollar changes with respect to the euro.
For further information on income taxes see Note 8 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Net loss attributable to United States Steel Corporation was $75 million in the three months ended March 31, 2015, compared to net earnings of $52 million in the three months ended March 31, 2014. The changes primarily reflect the factors discussed above.
BALANCE SHEET
Accounts receivable decreased by $294 million from year-end 2014. Sales in the latter part of a quarter typically represent the majority of the receivables as of the end of the quarter. The decrease in receivables primarily reflected decreased average realized prices and lower shipment volumes.
Property, plant and equipment, net, decreased by $220 million from year-end 2014 primarily due to fixed asset impairments related to the shutdown of coke facilities at Gary Works and Granite City Works.
Total deferred income tax benefits decreased by $70 million from year-end 2014 primarily due to the deductibility of payments for employee related liabilities.
Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities decreased by $164 million from year-end 2014 primarily as a result of decreased production levels in the first quarter 2015 as compared to the fourth quarter of 2014.
Payroll and benefits payable decreased by $147 million from year-end 2014 primarily as a result of profit-based payments related to 2014 financial performance partially offset by the absence of profit-based liabilities as of March 31, 2015.
Deferred income tax liabilities decreased by $294 million from year-end 2014 primarily due to a decrease in forecasted net operating losses that were expected to be utilized in 2015 and foreign currency translation adjustments.
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CASH FLOW
Net cash provided by operating activities was $136 million for the three months ended March 31, 2015 compared to $570 million in the same period last year. The decrease is primarily due to lower financial results and changes in working capital period over period.
Changes in working capital can vary significantly depending on factors such as the timing of inventory production and purchases, which is affected by the length of our business cycles as well as our captive raw materials position, customer payments of accounts receivable and payments to vendors in the regular course of business.
Our key working capital components include accounts receivable and inventory. The accounts receivable and inventory turnover ratios for the three months and twelve months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 are as follows:
| Three Months Ended March 31, | Twelve Months Ended March 31, |
| 2015 | 2014 | 2015 | 2014 |
| Accounts Receivable Turnover | 1.8 | 2.1 | 8.5 | 7.7 |
| Inventory Turnover | 1.2 | 1.6 | 6.0 | 6.7 |

Capital expenditures for the three months ended March 31, 2015, were $172 million, compared with $90 million in the same period in 2014. Flat-Rolled capital expenditures were $132 million and included spending for the ongoing implementation of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, the Granite City Works Steel Shop Tap and Charging Emission Control System, a blast furnace reline at Mon Valley Works, blast furnace maintenance at Granite City and Great Lakes Works and various other infrastructure, environmental and strategic projects. Tubular capital expenditures of $16 million related to the new EAF and coupling facilities as well as various other infrastructure and strategic capital projects. USSE capital expenditures of $21 million consisted of spending for infrastructure and environmental projects.
U. S. Steel’s contractual commitments to acquire property, plant and equipment at March 31, 2015, totaled $352 million.
Capital expenditures for 2015 are expected to total approximately $550 million and remain focused largely on strategic, infrastructure and environmental projects.
We are continuing our efforts to implement an ERP system to replace our existing information technology systems, which will enable us to operate more efficiently. The completion of the ERP project is expected to provide further opportunities to streamline, standardize and centralize business processes in order to maximize cost effectiveness, efficiency and control across our global operations. We implemented our ERP system at Mon Valley Works in 2012, Gary Works in 2013 and Granite City Works and Great Lakes Works in 2014. We plan to implement our ERP system at certain tubular locations in 2015. We are also currently developing projects within our Flat-Rolled, USSE and Tubular segments, such as facility enhancements, advanced high strength steels and additional premium connections that will further improve our ability to support our customers’ evolving needs and increase our value added product capabilities.
With reduced pricing for iron-ore, management is considering its options with respect to the Company's iron-ore position in the United States. The Company is also exploring opportunities related to the availability of reasonably priced natural gas as an alternative to coke in the iron reduction process to improve our cost competitiveness, while reducing our dependence on coal and coke. We are examining alternative iron and steelmaking technologies such as gas-based, direct-reduced iron (DRI) and electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmaking. We have received the necessary authorizations from the Jefferson County Department of Health and the Alabama Department of Environmental Management. Construction of the EAF will begin in the second quarter of 2015, with construction expected to be complete in the third quarter of 2016.
The DRI process requires iron ore pellets with a lower silica content than blast furnace pellets. We have verified that our iron ore reserves are suitable for direct reduced (DR) grade pellet production and are examining the capital and engineering design process requirements to produce DR grade pellets at our Minntac operations for use internally by the Company if we were to construct a DRI facility or for sale to external third parties with DRI facilities.
Disposal of assets in the first three months of 2014 primarily reflects cash proceeds from transactions to sell and swap a portion of the emissions allowances at USSK.
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LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
The following table summarizes U. S. Steel’s liquidity as of March 31, 2015:
| (Dollars in millions) |
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 1,266 |
| Amount available under $875 Million Credit Facility | 875 |
| Amount available under Receivables Purchase Agreement | 452 |
| Amount available under USSK credit facilities | 246 |
| Total estimated liquidity | $ | 2,839 |

As of March 31, 2015, $387 million of the total cash and cash equivalents was held by our foreign subsidiaries. Substantially all of the liquidity attributable to our foreign subsidiaries can be accessed without the imposition of income taxes as a result of the election effective December 31, 2013 to liquidate for U.S. income tax purposes a foreign subsidiary that holds most of our international operations.
As of March 31, 2015, there were no amounts drawn under our $875 million credit facility agreement (Amended Credit Agreement) and inventory values calculated in accordance with the Amended Credit Agreement supported the full $875 million of the facility. Under the Amended Credit Agreement, U. S. Steel must maintain a fixed charge coverage ratio (as further defined in the Amended Credit Agreement) of at least 1.00 to 1.00 for the most recent four consecutive quarters when availability under the Amended Credit Agreement is less than the greater of 10 percent of the total aggregate commitments and $87.5 million. Since availability was greater than $87.5 million, compliance with the fixed charge coverage ratio covenant was not applicable.
U. S. Steel has a Receivables Purchase Agreement (RPA) that provides liquidity and letters of credit depending upon the number of eligible domestic receivables generated by U. S. Steel. Domestic trade accounts receivables are sold, on a daily basis, without recourse, to U. S. Steel Receivables, LLC (USSR), a consolidated wholly owned special purpose entity. As U. S. Steel accesses this facility, USSR sells senior undivided interests in the receivables to third parties, while maintaining a subordinated undivided interest in a portion of the receivables. U. S. Steel has agreed to continue servicing the sold receivables at market rates.
The RPA may be terminated on the occurrence and failure to cure certain events, including, among others, failure by U. S. Steel to make payments under our material debt obligations and any failure to maintain certain ratios related to the collectability of the receivables. The maximum amount of receivables eligible for sale is $625 million and the facility expires in July 2016. At March 31, 2015, eligible accounts receivable supported $502 million of availability under the RPA, and there were no receivables sold to third-parties under this facility. The subordinated retained interest at March 31, 2015 was $502 million with availability of $452 million due to approximately $50 million of letters of credit outstanding. On April 28, 2015, the subordinated retained interest was $416 million with availability of $366 million due to approximately $50 million of letters of credit outstanding. The availability under the RPA can be less than the total commitment amount depending on the amount of eligible receivables supporting the agreement.
At March 31, 2015, USSK had no borrowings under its €200 million (approximately $215 million) unsecured revolving credit facility (the USSK Credit Agreement). The USSK Credit Agreement contains certain USSK financial covenants (as further defined in the USSK Credit Agreement) as well as other customary terms and conditions. At March 31, 2015, USSK had full availability under the USSK Credit Agreement. The USSK Credit Agreement expires in July 2016.
USSK also has a €20 million unsecured revolving credit facility that expires in December 2015 and a €10 million unsecured credit facility that expires in December 2016. At March 31, 2015, USSK had no borrowings under its €20 million and €10 million unsecured credit facilities (collectively approximately $31 million) and the availability was approximately $30 million due to approximately $1 million of outstanding customs and other guarantees.
In conjunction with the filing for CCAA protection, on September 16, 2014, U. S. Steel entered into a Debtor-in-Possession (DIP) credit facility with USSC, that was approved by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice on October 8, 2014, and provides for borrowings under the facility of a maximum commitment of C$185 million (approximately $146 million). At March 31, 2015, there were no amounts drawn under the DIP facility.
We may from time to time seek to retire or purchase our outstanding long-term debt in open market purchases, privately negotiated transactions, exchange transactions or otherwise. Such purchases or exchanges, if any, will depend on
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prevailing market conditions, our liquidity requirements, contractual restrictions and other factors and may be commenced or suspended at any time. The amounts involved may be material.
We use surety bonds, trusts and letters of credit to provide financial assurance for certain transactions and business activities. The use of some forms of financial assurance and cash collateral have a negative impact on liquidity. U. S. Steel has committed $165 million of liquidity sources for financial assurance purposes as of March 31, 2015. Increases in these commitments which use collateral are reflected in restricted cash on the consolidated statement of cash flows.
If there is a change in control of U. S. Steel, the following may occur: (a) debt obligations totaling $2,891 million as of March 31, 2015 (including the Senior Notes and Senior Convertible Notes) may be declared immediately due and payable; (b) the Amended Credit Agreement, the RPA and the USSK Credit Agreement may be terminated and any amounts outstanding declared immediately due and payable; and (c) U. S. Steel may be required to either repurchase the leased Fairfield slab caster for $36 million or provide a cash collateralized letter of credit to secure the remaining obligation.
The maximum guarantees of the indebtedness of unconsolidated entities of U. S. Steel totaled $4 million at March 31, 2015. If any default related to the guaranteed indebtedness occurs, U. S. Steel has access to its interest in the assets of the investees to reduce its potential losses under the guarantees.
Our major cash requirements in 2015 are expected to be for capital expenditures, employee benefits, and operating costs, including purchases of raw materials. We finished the first quarter of 2015 with $1,266 million of cash and cash equivalents and $2.8 billion of total liquidity. Available cash is left on deposit with financial institutions or invested in highly liquid securities with parties we believe to be creditworthy.
U. S. Steel management believes that U. S. Steel’s liquidity will be adequate to satisfy our obligations for the foreseeable future, including obligations to complete currently authorized capital spending programs. Future requirements for U. S. Steel’s business needs, including the funding of acquisitions and capital expenditures, scheduled debt maturities, contributions to employee benefit plans, and any amounts that may ultimately be paid in connection with contingencies, are expected to be financed by a combination of internally generated funds (including asset sales), proceeds from the sale of stock, borrowings, refinancings and other external financing sources.
Environmental Matters, Litigation and Contingencies
U. S. Steel has incurred and will continue to incur substantial capital, operating, and maintenance and remediation expenditures as a result of environmental laws and regulations, related to release of hazardous materials, which in recent years have been mainly for process changes to meet Clean Air Act (CAA) obligations and similar obligations in Europe. Future compliance with carbon dioxide (CO2) emission requirements may include substantial costs for emission allowances, restriction of production and higher prices for coking coal, natural gas and electricity generated by carbon based systems. Because we cannot predict what requirements ultimately will be imposed in the U.S. and Europe, it is difficult to estimate the likely impact on U. S. Steel, but it could be substantial. To the extent these expenditures, as with all costs, are not ultimately reflected in the prices of U. S. Steel's products and services, operating results will be reduced. U. S. Steel believes that our major North American and many European integrated steel competitors are confronted with substantially similar conditions and thus does not believe that its relative position with regard to such competitors will be materially affected by the impact of environmental laws and regulations. However, if the final requirements do not recognize the fact that the integrated steel process involves a series of chemical reactions involving carbon that create CO2 emissions, our competitive position relative to mini-mills will be adversely impacted. Our competitive position compared to producers in developing nations such as China, Russia, Ukraine and India, will be harmed unless such nations require commensurate reductions in CO2 emissions. Competing materials such as plastics may not be similarly impacted. The specific impact on each competitor will vary depending on a number of factors, including the age and location of its operating facilities and its production methods. U. S. Steel is also responsible for remediation costs related to former and present operating locations and disposal of environmentally sensitive materials. Many of our competitors, including North American producers, or their successors, that have been the subject of bankruptcy relief have no or substantially lower liabilities for such environmental remediation matters.
Some of U. S. Steel’s facilities were in operation before 1900. Although management believes that U. S. Steel’s environmental practices have either led the industry or at least been consistent with prevailing industry practices, hazardous materials may have been released at current or former operating sites or delivered to sites operated by third parties. This means U. S. Steel is responsible for remediation costs associated with the release and/or disposal of such materials and many of our competitors do not have similar historical liabilities.
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Our U.S. facilities are subject to environmental laws applicable in the U.S., including the CAA, the Clean Water Act (CWA), the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), as well as state and local laws and regulations.
USSK is subject to the environmental laws of Slovakia and the European Union (EU). An EU law commonly known as Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals, Regulation 1907/2006 (REACH) requires the registration of certain substances produced in or imported into the EU, and applying for authorization to continue use where replacement of certain substances is not possible or feasible. In some cases replacements for substances currently used in our operations will have to be implemented. We are also beginning the process of seeking authorization for continued use of these substances until viable alternatives can be proved and implemented. Although USSK is currently compliant with REACH, efforts to remain compliant will require capital investment and increased operational costs. We cannot reliably estimate the potential cost of complying with these measures at this time. For further discussion of laws applicable in Slovakia and the EU and their impact on USSK, see Note 19 to the Consolidated Financial Statements, "Contingencies and Commitments – Environmental Matters – European Union (EU) Environmental Requirements."
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed in March of 2013 between U. S. Steel and the government of Slovakia. The MOU outlines areas in which the government and U. S. Steel will work together to help create a more competitive environment and conditions for USSK. Incentives the government of Slovakia agreed to provide include potential participation in a renewable energy program that provides the opportunity to reduce electricity costs, as well as the potential for government grants and other support concerning investments in environmental control technology that may be required under the recently adopted EU requirements to implement best available technique (BAT) to reduce environmental impacts. Although there are many conditions and uncertainties regarding the grants, including matters controlled by the EU, the value of these incentives as stated in the MOU could be as much as €75 million. U. S. Steel also agreed to pay the government of Slovakia specified declining amounts should U. S. Steel sell USSK within five years of the date of the MOU. We continue to work closely with the government of Slovakia to monitor the progress of the respective commitments and to achieve the incentives described in the MOU.
New and Emerging Environmental Regulations
The current and potential regulation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions remains a significant issue for the steel industry, particularly for integrated steel producers such as U. S. Steel, but also increasingly for electric arc furnace (EAF) producers due to regulatory actions impacting the power generation sector. The EPA has classified GHGs, such as CO2, as harmful gases. Under this premise, it has implemented a GHG emission monitoring and reporting requirement for all facilities emitting 25,000 metric tons or more per year of CO2, as well as equivalent CO2 quantities of methane and nitrous oxide. Consistent with prior years' reporting, 14 U. S. Steel facilities submitted reports including Gary Works, East Chicago Tin, Midwest Plant, Clairton Plant, Edgar Thomson Plant, Irvin Plant, Fairless Plant, Fairfield Sheet, Fairfield Tubular, Granite City Works, Great Lakes Works, Lorain Tubular, Minntac and Keetac. Lone Star Tubular is the only significant operation not required to report because its emissions were well below the 25,000 ton reporting threshold.
On January 8, 2014, the EPA re-proposed its New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for GHG emissions from new electric generating units (EGUs). The re-proposed NSPS impose separate intensity-based GHG limits for new coal fired and new natural gas fired power EGUs. Although the re-proposed NSPS would affect only new EGUs, the potential impacts of the rule’s issuance extend beyond new sources, because the EPA has taken the position that it is obligated under Section 111(d) of the CAA to promulgate guidelines for existing sources within a category when it promulgates GHG standards for new sources. Accordingly, in June 2014, the EPA proposed guidance for regulating GHGs from existing fossil fueled EGUs that imposes a two-part goal structure for existing power generation in each state. The structure is composed of an interim goal for states to meet on average over the ten-year period from 2020-2029, and a final goal that a state must meet at the end of that period in 2030 and thereafter. The final goal is to achieve a 30 percent reduction of GHG emissions by 2030 from 2005 levels. States are said to be given flexibility in terms of how to achieve their goal and what measures to implement, but must submit plans no later than June 30, 2016. The impact these rules will have on the supply and cost of electricity to industrial consumers, especially the energy intensive industries, is being evaluated. We believe there will be increased operating costs, such as increased energy and maintenance costs, but we are currently unable to reliably estimate them.
The EU has established GHG regulations for the EU member states. International negotiations to supplement and eventually replace the 1997 Kyoto Protocol are ongoing. The next round of negotiations will take place in 2015. In October 2014, the European Council approved 2030 goals in the areas of GHG reduction, energy efficiency and the use of renewable resources. Those targets are expected to transfer into legislation by 2020. Until the full details of the
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program are made known through specific enacting legislation, we cannot forecast the costs and benefits which might result from the program.
In September 2011, the EPA sent domestic integrated steel facilities, including U. S. Steel, an Information Collection Request for future rulemaking activities pursuant to the Clean Air Act (CAA). U. S. Steel responded to the request, and EPA is currently performing a risk and technology review of the Iron and Steel Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT). U. S. Steel and other integrated steel companies are in communication with the EPA on the review. Additionally, the EPA is required, pursuant to a court ordered settlement, to conduct a risk and technology review of the Coke Pushing, Quenching, and Battery Stack MACT. U. S. Steel is anticipating a forthcoming Information Collection Request from EPA. At this time, the operational and financial impact of the Iron and Steel MACT or Coke MACT review cannot be quantified.
The European Commission (EC) has created an Emissions Trading System (ETS) and, since 2013, the ETS has been employing centralized allocation rather than national allocation plans, which are more stringent than the previous requirements. The ETS also includes a cap designed to achieve an overall reduction of GHGs for the ETS sectors of 21 percent in 2020 compared to 2005 emissions, and auctioning as the basic principle for allocating emissions allowances.
U. S. Steel entered into transactions to sell and swap a portion of our emissions allowances and recognized a gain of $17 million during the three months ended March 31, 2014. There were no such similar transactions for the three months ended March 31, 2015 .
For further discussion of the ETS and related EU legislation, see Note 19 to the Consolidated Financial Statements, "Contingencies and Commitments – Environmental Matters – CO2 Emissions."
In June 2010, the EPA set a new National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for sulfur dioxide (SO2). Subsequently, the Great Lakes Works and Mon Valley Works facilities were deemed to be located in non-attainment areas for the SO2 NAAQS. The non-attainment designation will require the facilities to implement operational and/or capital requirements to demonstrate attainment with the 2010 standard. The EPA will determine SO2 NAAQS attainment designations for the remainder of U. S. Steel facilities at a future date. At this time, the operational and financial impact of the SO2 NAAQS cannot be quantified.
Environmental Remediation
Claims under CERCLA and related state laws have been raised with respect to the cleanup of various waste disposal and other sites. Under CERCLA, potentially responsible parties (PRPs) for a site include current owners and operators, past owners and operators at the time of disposal, persons who arranged for disposal of a hazardous substance at a site, and persons who transported a hazardous substance to a site. CERCLA imposes strict and joint and several liabilities. Because of various factors, including the ambiguity of the regulations, the difficulty of identifying the responsible parties for any particular site, the complexity of determining the relative liability among them, the uncertainty as to the most desirable remediation techniques, and the amount of damages and cleanup costs and the time period during which such costs may be incurred, we are unable to reasonably estimate U. S. Steel’s ultimate liabilities under CERCLA and analogous state laws.
At March 31, 2015, U. S. Steel had been identified as a PRP at a total of 9 CERCLA sites where liability is not resolved. Based on currently available information, which is in many cases preliminary and incomplete, management believes that U. S. Steel’s liability for CERCLA cleanup and remediation costs will be between $100,000 and $1 million for 7 sites, between $1 million and $5 million for one site and over $5 million for one site.
In addition to the foregoing matters, there are 6 sites related to U. S. Steel where information requests have been received or there are other indications that U. S. Steel may be a PRP under CERCLA, but where sufficient information is not presently available to confirm the existence of liability or to make any judgment as to the amount thereof.
For further discussion of relevant environmental matters, see "Part II. Other information – Item 1. Legal Proceedings – Environmental Proceedings."
During the first three months of 2015, U. S. Steel recorded a net decrease of $2 million to our accrual balance for environmental matters for U.S. and international facilities. The total accrual for such liabilities at March 31, 2015 was $210 million. These amounts exclude liabilities related to asset retirement obligations, disclosed in Note 13 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
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U. S. Steel is the subject of, or a party to, a number of pending or threatened legal actions, contingencies and commitments involving a variety of matters, including laws and regulations relating to the environment. The ultimate resolution of these contingencies could, individually or in the aggregate, be material to the consolidated financial statements. However, management believes that U. S. Steel will remain a viable and competitive enterprise even though it is possible that these contingencies could be resolved unfavorably to U. S. Steel.
OFF-BALANCE SHEET ARRANGEMENTS
U. S. Steel did not enter into any new material off-balance sheet arrangements during the first quarter of 2015.
OUTLOOK
We are currently operating in the face of extremely difficult conditions, particularly in North America. We have made significant progress during our Carnegie Way transformation on improving our business model, including cost structure improvements, which will enable us to increase our earnings power across all market conditions.
The headwinds we faced entering 2015 have intensified. Spot prices for flat-rolled products have decreased at an accelerated pace reaching levels well below market expectations at the beginning of the year and imports have remained at historically high levels, both negatively impacting our flat-rolled order rates. The pace and magnitude of the drop in both oil prices and drilling rig counts have resulted in decreased steel demand for both finished tubular products and substrate supplied by our Flat-Rolled segment for the production of tubular products. Lower order rates for both flat-rolled and tubular products have resulted in lower utilization rates and increased operational inefficiencies at all of our U.S. facilities.
We expect lower overall steel consumption levels to unfavorably impact the timing of a rebalance of supply chain inventory levels in both the flat-rolled and tubular markets we serve; however, we expect market conditions to improve during the second half of 2015, which will have a positive impact on our Flat-Rolled segment as inventory destocking nears completion. We have taken aggressive actions to reduce costs and adjust our operating levels in the near term but cannot fully offset these increased headwinds. We remain focused on meeting both the current and future needs of our customers by providing innovative and value enhancing solutions, as well as on the Carnegie Way transformation.
Based on all of the factors described above, we expect full-year 2015 adjusted EBIT to be between $115 million and $315 million, or full-year 2015 adjusted earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of between $700 million and $900 million.
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
Demand for flat-rolled products is influenced by a wide variety of factors, including but not limited to macro-economic drivers, the supply-demand balance, inventories, imports and exports, currency fluctuations, and the demand from flat-rolled consuming markets. The largest drivers of North American consumption have historically been the automotive and construction markets, which make up at least 50 percent of total sheet consumption. Other sheet consuming industries include appliance, converter, container, tin, energy, electrical equipment, agricultural, domestic and commercial equipment and industrial machinery.
USSE conducts business primarily in Europe. Like our domestic operations, USSE is affected by the cyclical nature of demand for steel products and the sensitivity of that demand to worldwide general economic conditions, as well as currency fluctuations. The sovereign debt issues in the European Union (EU), and the resulting economic uncertainties, can adversely affect markets. We are subject to market conditions in those areas, which are influenced by many of the same factors that affect U.S. markets, as well as matters specific to international markets such as quotas, tariffs and other protectionist measures. In addition, geopolitical tension in the region between Russia and the Ukraine may adversely affect markets in the EU and the broader region.
Demand for energy related tubular products depends on several factors, most notably energy prices, which tend to affect the number of oil and natural gas wells being drilled, completed and re-worked, the depth and drilling conditions of these wells and the drilling techniques utilized. The level of these activities depends primarily on the demand for natural gas and oil and expectations about future prices for these commodities. Demand for our tubular products is also affected by the continuing development of shale oil and gas reserves, the level of production by domestic manufacturers, inventories maintained by manufacturers, distributors, and end users and by the level of new capacity and imports in the markets we serve.
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U. S. Steel remains active in its efforts to ensure that competitors are not engaging in unfair trade practices. In recent years, a significant number of steel imports have been found to violate United States or Canadian trade laws. Under these laws, antidumping duties (AD) can be imposed against dumped products, which are products sold at a price that is less than fair value. Countervailing duties (CVD) can be imposed against products that have benefited from foreign government assistance for the production, manufacture, or exportation of the product. For many years, U. S. Steel, other producers, customers and the United Steelworkers have sought the imposition of duties and in many cases have been successful.
As in the past, U. S. Steel continues to monitor unfairly traded imports and is prepared to seek appropriate remedies against such importing countries. On July 2, 2013, U. S. Steel and eight other domestic producers filed AD and CVD petitions against imports of oil country tubular goods (OCTG) from India and Turkey, along with AD petitions against imports of OCTG from the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Ukraine, and Vietnam. These petitions allege that unfairly-traded imports from the subject countries are both a cause and a threat of material injury to United States producers of OCTG.
On July 11, 2014, the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) announced its final determinations in both the CVD investigations of OCTG from India and Turkey and the AD investigations of India, South Korea, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine and Vietnam. The DOC made an affirmative determination that exporters and producers in all nine countries were importing OCTG into the United States at less than fair value. The DOC calculated AD margins for all nine countries and CVD margins against India and Turkey.
However, on August 11, 2014, the DOC entered an amended final determination in the Saudi Arabia investigation and revised the margin for Saudi Arabia to be less than 2 percent ad valorem. As a result of the final and amended final determinations, the DOC will "suspend liquidation" and require cash deposits of AD and/or CVD duties for imports of OCTG from those producers and exporters with dumping margins and/or subsidy rates equal to or greater than 2 percent ad valorem.
On August 22, 2014, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) voted that imports from India, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine, and Vietnam caused injury to the domestic industry, but did not find injury with regards to imports from the Philippines or Thailand.
On September 10, 2014, the DOC issued AD orders against India, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine, and Vietnam and CVD orders against India and Turkey. While the duties mentioned above cover 90 percent of the unfairly traded imports entering the U.S. markets in 2013, U. S. Steel will continue its efforts to ensure that all OCTG imports are fairly traded. As such, U. S. Steel filed an appeal to the Court of International Trade (CIT) regarding the DOC's de minimis determination on Saudi Arabian OCTG imports, as well as appeals to the ITC's negligibility finding for Thailand and the Philippines. Additionally, the respondents have filed appeals to the CIT in the OCTG case. At present, there are 26 separate appeals filed at the CIT from the OCTG determinations. At the end of 2014, South Korea filed a separate action with the World Trade Organization challenging the OCTG ruling. While U. S. Steel strongly believes that all of the imports in question were traded unfairly, and that relief is fully justified under United States law, the outcome of the appeals remains uncertain.
AD and CVD orders are generally subject to "sunset" reviews every five years and U. S. Steel actively participates in such review proceedings. In May 2014, the United States government completed the five-year sunset review of the AD and CVD orders on welded line pipe from China. The United States government decided to maintain AD and CVD orders on the welded pipe from China. In January 2014, the United States government completed five-year sunset reviews of: (i) AD orders on hot-rolled steel from China, Taiwan, and Ukraine; and (ii) AD and CVD orders on hot-rolled steel from India, Indonesia and Thailand. In each of those reviews, the AD and CVD orders were kept in place. In January 2015, the United States government initiated the five-year sunset review of the AD and CVD orders on OCTG from China. On March 6, 2015, the ITC voted to conduct an expedited review, and on April 7, 2015, the DOC made its final determination that revocation of the order would be likely to lead to the continuation or recurrence of dumping and the continuation or recurrence of the use of countervailable subsidies. On April 28, 2015, the ITC commissioners voted six to zero in the affirmative to continue the AD and CVD orders on OCTG from China. As a result, AD rates ranging from 32.1 percent to 172.5 percent, and CVD rates ranging from 20.9 percent to 26.2 percent will continue to be imposed against imports of OCTG from China. The AD and CVD orders will remain in place for an additional five years. U. S. Steel will continue to aggressively pursue the retention of the AD and CVD orders on OCTG from China.
In 1999, the United States entered into an agreement with Russia suspending 1998 AD orders covering hot-rolled steel coil. In 2014, a surge of over 900,000 tons of Russian hot-rolled steel coil was imported into the U. S. market at
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average unit values significantly below steel produced in the United States. U. S. Steel and other domestic steel producers supported the termination of the Russian Suspension Agreement. On October 17, 2014, the DOC notified the Russian Economy Ministry that the United States would terminate the 1999 Hot-rolled Steel Suspension Agreement in 60 days. On December 16, 2014, duties of 73.59 percent for Severstal and 184.56 percent for all other Russian producers and exporters went into effect. Although this may have a positive impact to U. S. Steel in North America, it may adversely affect USSE as Russia is now trying to move more into the European market, and we may potentially see an increase in imports into the EU and surrounding countries.
On January 28, 2015, the Turkish Ministry of Economy launched an anti-dumping probe on imports of hot-rolled steel coils from China, Japan, France, Russia, Ukraine, Romania, and Slovakia, which implicates exports from USSK. While U. S. Steel strongly believes that imports of hot-rolled steel coils from Slovakia did not injure the domestic hot-rolled steel coil producers in Turkey, the outcome of the probe remains uncertain.
Steel sheet imports to the United States accounted for an estimated 22 percent of the steel sheet market in the United States in 2014, 15 percent in 2013 and 14 percent in 2012. Increases in future levels of imported steel could reduce future market prices and demand levels for steel produced in our U.S. facilities.
Imports of flat-rolled steel to Canada accounted for an estimated 36 percent of the Canadian market for flat-rolled steel products in 2014, 35 percent in 2013 and 34 percent in 2012.
Total imports of flat-rolled carbon steel products (excluding quarto plates and wide flats) to the 28 countries currently comprising the EU were 16 percent of the EU market in 2014, 14 percent in 2013 and 13 percent in 2012. Increases in future levels of imported steel could reduce market prices and demand levels for steel produced by USSE.
Energy related tubular products imported into the United States accounted for an estimated 52 percent of the U.S. domestic market in 2014, 49 percent in 2013 and 52 percent in 2012.
Competition from imports will continue to influence the market. U. S. Steel will continue to closely monitor imports of products in which U. S. Steel has an interest. Additional complaints are likely as unfairly-traded imports adversely impact, or threaten to adversely impact, U. S. Steel's financial results.
NEW ACCOUNTING STANDARDS
See Note 2 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Part I Item 1 of this Form 10-Q.
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Item 3.
QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
There were no material changes in U. S. Steel's exposure to market risk from December 31, 2014.
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Item 4.
CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
EVALUATION OF DISCLOSURE CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
U. S. Steel has evaluated the effectiveness of the design and operation of its disclosure controls and procedures as of March 31, 2015. These disclosure controls and procedures are the controls and other procedures that were designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in reports that are filed with or submitted to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission are: (1) accumulated and communicated to management, including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosures and (2) recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in applicable law and regulations. Based on this evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that, as of March 31, 2015, U. S. Steel’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective.
CHANGES IN INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING
There have not been any changes in U. S. Steel’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the fiscal quarter covered by this quarterly report, which have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, U. S. Steel’s internal control over financial reporting.
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UNITED STATES STEEL CORPORATION
SUPPLEMENTAL STATISTICS (Unaudited)
| Three Months Ended March 31, |
| (Dollars in millions) | 2015 | 2014 |
| SEGMENT EARNINGS (LOSS) BEFORE INTEREST AND INCOME TAXES: |
| Flat-Rolled | $ | (67 | ) | $ | 85 |
| U. S. Steel Europe | 37 | 32 |
| Tubular | 1 | 24 |
| Total reportable segments | (29 | ) | 141 |
| Other Businesses | 8 | 13 |
| Items not allocated to segments: |
| Postretirement benefit expense | (13 | ) | (32 | ) |
| Other items not allocated to segments: |
| Loss on shutdown of coke production facilities | (153 | ) | — |
| Total (loss) earnings before interest and income taxes | $ | (187 | ) | $ | 122 |
| CAPITAL EXPENDITURES |
| Flat-Rolled | $ | 132 | $ | 55 |
| U. S. Steel Europe | 21 | 18 |
| Tubular | 16 | 16 |
| Other Businesses | 3 | 1 |
| Total (a) | $ | 172 | $ | 90 |
| OPERATING STATISTICS |
| Average realized price: ($/net ton) (b) |
| Flat-Rolled | $ | 768 | $ | 761 |
| Flat-Rolled U.S. Facilities (c) | 768 | 774 |
| U. S. Steel Europe | 530 | 710 |
| Tubular | 1,637 | 1,479 |
| Steel Shipments:(b)(d) |
| Flat-Rolled | 2,617 | 3,674 |
| Flat-Rolled U.S. Facilities (c) | 2,617 | 3,115 |
| U. S. Steel Europe | 1,264 | 1,031 |
| Tubular | 220 | 419 |
| Raw Steel Production:(d) |
| Flat-Rolled | 2,868 | 4,491 |
| U. S. Steel Europe | 1,283 | 1,141 |
| Raw Steel Capability Utilization: (e) |
| Flat-Rolled | 60 | % | 83 | % |
| Flat-Rolled U.S. Facilities (f) | 60 | % | 81 | % |
| U. S. Steel Europe | 104 | % | 93 | % |

| (a) | Excludes the (decrease) increase in accrued capital expenditures of $(58) million and $18 million for the quarters ended March 31, 2015, and 2014, respectively. |

| (b) | Excludes intersegment transfers. |

| (c) | Excludes U. S. Steel Canada Inc. for all periods presented. |

| (d) | Thousands of net tons. |

| (e) | Based on annual raw steel production capability of 22.0 million net tons for Flat-Rolled and 5.0 million net tons for USSE. Subsequent to USSC's CCAA filing on September 16, 2014, annual raw steel production capability for Flat-Rolled is 19.4 million tons. |

| (f) | AISI capability utilization rates include our U.S. facilities (Gary Works, Great Lakes Works, Mon Valley Works, Granite City Works and Fairfield Works). |

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PART II. OTHER INFORMATION
Item 1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
GENERAL LITIGATION
On September 16, 2014 U. S. Steel Canada Inc. commenced court-supervised restructuring proceedings under Canada's Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. As part of the CCAA proceedings, U. S. Steel has submitted both secured and unsecured claims that have been verified by the court-appointed Monitor. As of March 31, 2015, the court-appointed Monitor has verified U. S. Steel's claims in the CCAA proceedings are approximately $1.8 billion. U. S. Steel's claims have been challenged by a number of interested parties which, if successful, could result in the reclassification of those claims and/or modifications to the values of those claims. U. S. Steel is contesting those challenges within the CCAA proceedings, the outcome of which can not be reasonably estimated at this time.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROCEEDINGS
Gary Works
U. S. Steel has agreed to close three hazardous waste disposal (HWD) sites located on plant property at Gary Works: D5, along with an adjacent solid waste disposal unit, Terminal Treatment Plant (TTP) Area; T2; and D2 combined with a portion of the Refuse Area, where a solid waste disposal unit overlaps with the hazardous waste disposal unit. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) has approved the closure plans for all three sites. Closure is complete at D5, TTP, and T2, with IDEM approval of the closure certification reports on February 1, 2012 (D5), April 3, 2012 (TTP), and November 1, 2012 (T2). Final field work for the HWD-2 and Refuse Area Project will continue through the second quarter of 2015. As of March 31, 2015, the accrued liability for estimated costs to close these sites is approximately $6 million.
On October 23, 1998, the EPA issued a final Administrative Order on Consent (Order) addressing Corrective Action for Solid Waste Management Units (SWMU) throughout Gary Works. This Order requires U. S. Steel to perform a RCRA Facility Investigation (RFI), a Corrective Measure Study (CMS) and Corrective Measure Implementation. Reports of field investigation findings for Phase I work plans have been submitted to the EPA. Through March 31, 2015, U. S. Steel has spent $61 million for corrective action studies, Vessel Slip Turning Basin interim measures and other corrective actions.
U. S. Steel received notification from the EPA in September 2014 that the requirement for conducting a Perimeter Groundwater Monitoring Program as defined in the Order had been satisfied. U. S. Steel continues to conduct focused groundwater assessment work previously identified by the Program and approved by the EPA. U. S. Steel has completed portions of an Interim Stabilization Measure to address certain components of the East Side Groundwater Solid Waste Management Area as required by the Order. Until the remaining Phase I work and Phase II field investigations are completed, it is not possible to assess what additional expenditures will be necessary for Corrective Action projects at Gary Works. In total, the accrued liability for Corrective Action projects is approximately $33 million as of March 31, 2015, based on the estimated remaining costs.
Mon Valley Works
On October 23, 2013, the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) issued a notice of violation (NOV) to U. S. Steel regarding emissions from its C Battery quench tower. In the NOV, ACHD alleges that based upon stack testing data, the sulfur compound emissions from the quench tower exceeded those authorized by the corresponding installation permit. U. S. Steel notified ACHD that it cannot continuously meet the sulfur compound emission limits from the pushing operations and the underfire stack at C Battery, and that it cannot certify continuous compliance with permit requirements associated with charging emissions from C Battery. On August 7, 2014, U. S. Steel and ACHD entered into an administrative Consent Order and Agreement in which U. S. Steel agreed to (and subsequently did) submit a permit application to correct the emission limits for pushing, quenching, and the underfire stacks, comply with the charging limit by October 31, 2015, and pay a civil penalty of $300,000. $150,000 of this penalty has been paid and the remaining $150,000 is due by December 31, 2015.
Fairless Plant
In January 1992, U. S. Steel commenced negotiations with the EPA regarding the terms of an Administrative Order on consent, pursuant to RCRA, under which U. S. Steel would perform an RFI and a CMS at our Fairless Plant. A
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Phase I RFI report was submitted during the third quarter of 1997. The cost to U. S. Steel to continue to maintain the interim measures, develop a Phase II/III RFI Work Plan and implement certain corrective measures is estimated to be $597,000. Significant additional costs associated with this site are possible and are referenced in Note 19 to the Consolidated Financial Statements “Contingencies and Commitments – Environmental Matters – Remediation Projects – Projects with Ongoing Study and Scope Development.”
Fairfield Works
A consent decree was signed by U. S. Steel, the EPA and the U.S. Department of Justice and filed with the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama (United States of America v. USX Corporation) on December 11, 1997. In accordance with the consent decree, U. S. Steel initiated a RCRA corrective action program at the Fairfield Works facility. The Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM), with the approval of the EPA, assumed primary responsibility for regulation and oversight of the RCRA corrective action program at Fairfield Works. The Phase I RFI for waste disposed of at the Exum Materials Management Area was voluntarily implemented in December 2011 with a final completion report submitted to ADEM in June 2012. A Phase II RFI for the Fairfield facility property was completed in December 2012 and the completion report was submitted to ADEM in the third quarter of 2013. Additional Phase II facility investigations will commence in the second quarter of 2015. In total, the accrued liability for remaining work under the Corrective Action Program, including the former Ensley facility, was $408,000 at March 31, 2015, based on estimated remaining costs. Significant additional costs associated with this site are possible and are referenced in Note 19 to the Consolidated Financial Statements “Contingencies and Commitments – Environmental Matters – Remediation Projects – Projects with Ongoing Study and Scope Development.”
Lorain Tubular Operations
In September 2006, U. S. Steel received a letter from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) inviting U. S. Steel to enter into discussions about RCRA Corrective Action at Lorain Tubular Operations. A Phase I RFI on the identified SWMUs and Area of Contamination was submitted in March 2012. A revised Phase II workplan that addresses additional soil investigations, site wide groundwater and the pipe mill lagoon was submitted to the OEPA in July 2013 and approved in December 2013. Perimeter groundwater monitoring wells were installed in June 2014 and the two rounds of sampling have been completed. As of March 31, 2015, U. S. Steel has spent $1 million on studies at this site, and costs to complete additional projects are estimated to be $183,000. Significant additional costs associated with this site are possible and are referenced in Note 19 to the Consolidated Financial Statements “Contingencies and Commitments – Environmental Matters – Remediation Projects – Projects with Ongoing Study and Scope Development.”
Great Lakes Works
On October 10, 2012, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) issued a Violation Notice alleging the No. 2 baghouse at the No. 2 BOP exceeded applicable emission limits based upon stack testing conducted earlier in 2012. On October 31, 2012, U. S. Steel responded to the notice indicating that corrective actions at the baghouse have been employed, and stack tests conducted after the repairs were made demonstrate the stack complies with emission limits. In addition, on April 26, 2013, MDEQ issued a Violation Notice alleging the Selective Catalytic Reduction system on the Continuous Galvanizing Line was not operating properly on March 27, 2013. U. S. Steel responded to the Violation Notice on May 24, 2013. On October 8, 2014, U. S. Steel entered into an administrative consent order with MDEQ in which U. S. Steel, while admitting no liability, agreed to pay a civil penalty of $111,000, retest the No. 2 BOP baghouse, and submit a permit application to revise the limits and operating practices regarding the Continuous Galvanizing Line. U. S. Steel has since paid the civil penalty, submitted a permit application to amend the permit limit and operating practices of the Continuous Galvanizing Line, and is arranging to retest the No. 2 BOP baghouse pursuant to the terms of the consent order. U. S. Steel is currently negotiating the requested revisions to the Continuous Galvanizing Line with MDEQ.
In a Violation Notice dated March 13, 2014, MDEQ alleged that Great Lakes Works installed two emergency diesel generators without obtaining a permit to install. The generators were installed in 2006. On April 3, 2014, U. S. Steel responded to the notice indicating that according to MDEQ regulations, the emergency generators are exempt from permitting and that no violation occurred. In addition, U. S. Steel questioned the timeliness of the notice because U. S. Steel provided notice of their installation to MDEQ on August 3, 2006.
On March 27, 2014, the No. 2 BOP Shop experienced an incident when air pollution control ductwork unexpectedly collapsed. The incident resulted in structural damage and atypical emissions. On April 14, 2014, MDEQ issued a Violation Notice that also included a request for additional information. U. S. Steel responded to the notice on May 5,
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2014. In addition, on April 14, 2014, the EPA issued a separate Notice of Violation regarding the same incident alleging that U. S. Steel failed to properly operate the BOP furnace and failed to continuously meet roof monitor opacity standards. U. S. Steel continues to discuss resolution of the matter with both MDEQ and the EPA.
During the first quarter of 2015, Great Lakes Works received Violation Notices from MDEQ relating to BOP roof monitor opacity exceedances which allegedly occurred in September and November of 2014. U. S. Steel is drafting responses to the notices and plans to discuss resolution of the matter with MDEQ.
On April 6, 2015, Great Lakes Works received a Violation Notice for emissions violations reported in the stack test results for the No. 1 Argon Stir Station baghouse submitted to MDEQ on December 9, 2014. U. S. Steel has responded to the notice.
Although discussions with MDEQ regarding the foregoing alleged violations are ongoing and the resolution of these matters is uncertain at this time, it is not anticipated that the result of those discussions will be material to U. S. Steel.
Granite City Works
U. S. Steel received two Violation Notices, dated February 20, 2004 and March 25, 2004, for air violations at the coke batteries, the blast furnace and the steel shop at our Granite City Works facility. All of the issues have been resolved except for an issue relating to air emissions that occurs when coke is pushed out of the ovens, for which a compliance plan has been submitted to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA). On December 18, 2007, U. S. Steel and IEPA entered into a Consent Order, (State of Illinois ex. rel. Lisa Madigan vs. United States Steel Corporation), which resolved the issues raised in the two Violation Notices. The Consent Order required that U. S. Steel (1) pay a penalty of $300,000, which U. S. Steel paid on January 10, 2008; (2) demonstrate compliance with Coke Oven Pushing Operations in accordance with the compliance schedule provided in the Order; (3) comply with the basic oxygen furnace (BOF) opacity emissions in accordance with the schedule provided in the Consent Order; and (4) submit to the IEPA a revised permit application with the correct sulfur dioxide emission factors. In February 2011, U. S. Steel demonstrated compliance with the applicable requirements, and in March 2011 U. S. Steel certified compliance with the applicable regulations. U. S. Steel continues to negotiate permit modifications to address the blast furnace gas sulfur dioxide emission factor as required by the Consent Order.
On July 1, 2010, U. S. Steel entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the IEPA that requires Granite City Works to achieve reductions in emissions of particulate matter. To complete the obligations pursuant to the MOU, U. S. Steel is constructing a new facility with additional pollution controls at the BOF. Construction of the new facility, which is expected to cost approximately $50 million, was begun in 2013 and startup is anticipated to occur in the second quarter of 2015.
On November 30, 2012, the IEPA issued a Violation Notice alleging violations of emission standards from the facility’s BOF. In the Notice, the IEPA also alleged the facility failed to comply with associated CAA regulations and the facility did not use steam rings at the BOF as required by the facility’s Title V permit. U. S. Steel met with the IEPA on February 6, 2013 and provided a written response to the IEPA on February 27, 2013. U. S. Steel and IEPA continue to discuss resolution of the matter.
Although discussions with the IEPA regarding the foregoing alleged violations are ongoing and the resolution of these matters is uncertain at this time, it is not anticipated that the result of those discussions will be material to U. S. Steel.
Minnesota Ore Operations
On February 6, 2013, the EPA published a Federal Implementation Plan (FIP) that applies to taconite facilities in Minnesota. The FIP establishes and requires the use of low NOx burners on indurating furnaces as Best Available Retrofit Technology. While U. S. Steel has already installed low NOx burners on two furnaces at Minntac and is currently obligated to install low NOx burners on the three other furnaces at Minntac pursuant to existing agreements and permits, the rule would require the installation of low NOx burners on the one furnace at Keetac for which U. S. Steel did not have an otherwise existing obligation. U. S. Steel estimates expenditures associated with the installation of low NOx burners of as much as $40 million to $50 million. On June 14, 2013, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals stayed the effectiveness of the FIP. The EPA also published a final rule denying the approval of the Minnesota State Implementation Plan (SIP), which did not require the installation of low NOx burners and determined the applicable Best Available Retrofit Technology on a case-by-case basis. U. S. Steel and other taconite facilities have petitioned the EPA for reconsideration of the final rule denying the SIP, and have also petitioned the Eighth Circuit for judicial
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review of the final rule denying the SIP. U. S. Steel continues to negotiate with the EPA to resolve the issues identified in the petitions.
On March 2, 2012, U. S. Steel’s Keetac facility received an NOV from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) for alleged violations of the Minnesota Fugitive Dust Rule. U. S. Steel responded to the notice on March 30, 2012 in which it respectfully contested the allegations provided in the notice. To date, no response from the MPCA has been received nor has any penalty been assessed.
On January 20, 2013, U. S. Steel’s Keetac facility received an Alleged Violations Letter (AVL) from MPCA alleging a violation of Minnesota rules during a wind and fugitive dust event on the Keetac Taconite tailings basin in December 2012. In February 2013, U. S. Steel responded to the AVL indicating that no violation occurred, and also explained the actions taken by Keetac during the December wind event to minimize emissions. To date, no response from the MPCA has been received nor has any penalty been assessed.
On April 6, 2015, Keetac received an AVL from MPCA alleging that Keetac allowed particulate matter to become airborne on November 21, 2014, November 30, 2014, December 4, 2014, and February 4, 2015, and that the fugitive dust exited U. S. Steel property. U. S. Steel will provide a written response to the allegations raised in the letter as requested by MPCA.
In June 2011, U. S. Steel and MPCA reached agreement on a Schedule of Compliance (SOC) to address alleged water quality issues at the Minntac facility. The 2011 Agreement required U. S. Steel to determine sulfate levels at the property boundary and to resolve the water quality allegations. In addition, the Agreement anticipated that U. S. Steel would trial a dry control system on Line 6 at Minntac. Since then, U. S. Steel has employed actions to address some of the allegations raised in the SOC. In addition, since then, U. S. Steel has conducted additional investigations and evaluated technologies that would be used to address other water quality allegations in the SOC and reduce sulfate levels in groundwater outside the boundaries of Minnesota Ore. The actions already employed as well as the new data indicate that the proposed dry control system in the 2011 Agreement would not be an effective means to reach the goals outlined in the SOC. U. S. Steel is currently negotiating a path forward with MPCA.
Although discussions with MPCA regarding the foregoing alleged violations have not been concluded and the resolution of these matters is uncertain at this time, it is not anticipated that the result of those discussions will be material to U. S. Steel.
Geneva Works
At U. S. Steel’s former Geneva Works, liability for environmental remediation, including the closure of three hazardous waste impoundments and facility-wide corrective action, has been allocated between U. S. Steel and the current property owner pursuant to an agreement and a permit issued by the Utah Department of Environmental Quality (UDEQ). As of March 31, 2015, U. S. Steel has spent $18.7 million to complete remediation on certain areas of the site. Having completed the investigation on a majority of the remaining areas identified in the permit, U. S. Steel has determined the most effective means to address the remaining impacted material is to manage those materials in a previously approved on-site Corrective Action Management Unit (CAMU). Preliminary approval of the conceptual CAMU design has been granted by the UDEQ. U. S. Steel has an accrued liability of $64 million as of March 31, 2015, for our estimated share of the remaining costs of remediation.
Duluth Works
The former U. S. Steel Duluth Works site was placed on the National Priorities List under CERCLA in 1983 and on the State of Minnesota’s Superfund list in 1984. Liability for environmental remediation at the site is governed by a Response Order by Consent executed with the MPCA in 1985 and a Record of Decision signed by MPCA in 1989. As of March 31, 2015, U. S. Steel has spent $24.8 million to complete remediation on certain areas of the site. U. S. Steel is finalizing two feasibility studies that include remedial measures to address contaminated sediments in the St. Louis River Estuary and several Upland Operable Units that could impact the Estuary if not addressed. Additionally, a Remedial Action Plan is being finalized to address the impacted areas on approximately 132 acres of upland property where a potential redevelopment opportunity has been identified. Additional study, investigation and oversight costs, and implementation of U. S. Steel's preferred remedial alternatives on the upland property and Estuary are currently estimated as of March 31, 2015 at $50 million.
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USS-POSCO Industries (UPI)
At UPI, a joint venture between subsidiaries of U. S. Steel and POSCO, corrective measures have been implemented for the majority of the former SWMUs. Prior to the formation of UPI, U. S. Steel owned and operated the Pittsburg, California facility and retained responsibility for the existing environmental conditions. Seven SWMUs remain at the facility. Based on their constituents, six of these SWMUs have been combined into two groups of three, while one SWMU remains a single entity. Investigation of the single SWMU is complete and an engineered remedy was defined to account for the costs associated with implementing U. S. Steel's preferred remedy. Investigation for the second SWMU group is also complete with recommendations, limited to future monitoring only, currently being discussed with the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC). Evaluations continue for the remaining SWMU group and it is likely that corrective measures will be required, but it is not possible at this time to define a scope or estimate costs for what may be required by the DTSC. As of March 31, 2015, $8 million remains for ongoing environmental studies, investigations and remedy implementation. Significant additional costs associated with this site are possible and are referenced in Note 19 to the Consolidated Financial Statements “Contingencies and Commitments – Environmental Matters – Remediation Projects – Projects with Ongoing Study and Scope Development.”
EPA Region V Federal Lawsuit
On August 1, 2012, the EPA, joined by the States of Illinois, Indiana and Michigan, initiated an action in the Northern District of Indiana alleging various air regulatory violations at Gary Works, Granite City Works, and Great Lakes Works. For more information on this action, see Note 19 to the Consolidated Financial Statements “Contingencies and Commitments – EPA Region V Federal Lawsuit.”
Other
In April 2003, U. S. Steel and Salomon Smith Barney Holdings, Inc. (SSB) entered into a Consent Order with the Kansas Department of Health & Environment (KDHE) concerning a former zinc smelting operation in Cherryvale, Kansas. Remediation was essentially completed in 2007 and U. S. Steel and SSB continue to work with KDHE to address the remaining issues. As such, the Consent Order was amended on May 3, 2013, to investigate potential contamination beyond the boundary of the former zinc smelting operation. As of March 31, 2015, an accrual of $573,000 remains available for addressing these outstanding issues.
In January of 2004, U. S. Steel received notice of a claim from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and notice of claims from citizens of a cap failure at the Dayton Landfill. U. S. Steel’s allocated share of liability at this site is approximately 16 percent. The Remedial Action Plan for the site was approved by TCEQ in June 2009. Implementation of remedial measures was initiated in July 2010 and all fieldwork was completed in November 2011. On March 18, 2013, TCEQ approved the Response Action Completion Report. The accrued liability for U. S. Steel’s share to implement the post-closure monitoring program, which is not material to U. S. Steel, was $324,000 as of March 31, 2015, and no further costs are anticipated.
In May 2010, MPCA notified Canadian National Railroad Company (CN) of apparent environmental impacts on their property adjacent to the former U. S. Steel Duluth Works. U. S. Steel subsequently obtained information indicating its connection to the site, and reviewed a site investigation report that CN prepared and submitted to MPCA in August 2011. On December 6, 2011, U. S. Steel agreed to purchase the site and to take responsibility for addressing the identified environmental impacts. The property transaction was closed on June 26, 2012. The site was enrolled into the MPCA Voluntary Investigation and Cleanup Program in May 2014. As of March 31, 2015, U. S. Steel has an accrued liability of approximately $2 million.
U. S. Steel is identified as a PRP at the former Breslube-Penn operating site, an oil recycling and solvent recovery operation located in Coraopolis, PA. U. S. Steel’s allocated share of the cost among the participating PRPs is approximately 29 percent. A Record of Decision was issued by the EPA in August 2007 and a Consent Decree to perform a Remedial Design/Remedial Action was entered by the court in September 2009. The EPA approved the Remedial Design on May 1, 2014, and construction of the remedy began in late May 2014. Remaining construction tasks will be completed in the first half of 2015. As of March 31, 2015, U. S. Steel has an accrued liability of approximately $1 million reflecting its share of the cost to complete remedial measures at the site.
Other Regulatory
In March 2015, the Occupational Safety Health and Administration (OSHA) issued multiple "Serious" citations and one "Willful" citation and proposed penalties totaling $107,900 resulting from a September 2014 fatality incident at U. S. Steel's Fairfield Works plant in Alabama. OSHA has proposed that U. S. Steel be placed in the Severe Violator
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Enforcement Program. U. S. Steel has filed a Notice of Contest and is working towards an appropriate resolution with OSHA.
ASBESTOS LITIGATION
As of March 31, 2015, U. S. Steel was a defendant in approximately 900 active cases involving approximately 3,420 plaintiffs. The vast majority of these cases involve multiple defendants. At December 31, 2014, U. S. Steel was a defendant in approximately 880 active cases involving approximately 3,455 plaintiffs. About 2,540, or approximately 74 percent, of these plaintiff claims are currently pending in jurisdictions which permit filings with massive numbers of plaintiffs. Based upon U. S. Steel’s experience in such cases, it believes that the actual number of plaintiffs who ultimately assert claims against U. S. Steel will likely be a small fraction of the total number of plaintiffs. During the three months ended March 31, 2015, settlements and other dispositions resolved approximately 110 claims, and new case filings added approximately 75 claims. During 2014, settlements and other dispositions resolved approximately 190 cases, and new case filings added approximately 325 cases.
The following table shows activity with respect to asbestos litigation:
| Period ended | OpeningNumberof Claims | ClaimsDismissed,Settledand Resolved | NewClaims | ClosingNumberof Claims |
| December 31, 2012 | 3,235 | 190 | 285 | 3,330 |
| December 31, 2013 | 3,330 | 250 | 240 | 3,320 |
| December 31, 2014 | 3,320 | 190 | 325 | 3,455 |
| March 31, 2015 | 3,455 | 110 | 75 | 3,420 |

Historically, asbestos-related claims against U. S. Steel fall into three major groups: (1) claims made by persons who allegedly were exposed to asbestos on the premises of U. S. Steel facilities; (2) claims made by persons allegedly exposed to products manufactured by U. S. Steel; and (3) claims made under certain federal and maritime laws by employees of former operations of U. S. Steel.
The amount U. S. Steel accrues for pending asbestos claims is not material to U. S. Steel’s financial condition. However, U. S. Steel is unable to estimate the ultimate outcome of asbestos-related claims due to a number of uncertainties, including (1) the rates at which new claims are filed, (2) the number of and effect of bankruptcies of other companies traditionally defending asbestos claims, (3) uncertainties associated with the variations in the litigation process from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, (4) uncertainties regarding the facts, circumstances and disease process with each claim, and (5) any new legislation enacted to address asbestos-related claims. Despite these uncertainties, management believes that the ultimate resolution of these matters will not have a material adverse effect on U. S. Steel’s financial condition, although the resolution of such matters could significantly impact results of operations for a particular quarter.
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Item 4.
MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES
The information concerning mine safety violations and other regulatory matters required by Section 150 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act and Item 104 of Regulation S-K is included in Exhibit 95 to this Form 10-Q.
Item 1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
GENERAL LITIGATION
On September 16, 2014 U. S. Steel Canada Inc. commenced court-supervised restructuring proceedings under Canada's Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. As part of the CCAA proceedings, U. S. Steel has submitted both secured and unsecured claims that have been verified by the court-appointed Monitor. As of March 31, 2015, the court-appointed Monitor has verified U. S. Steel's claims in the CCAA proceedings are approximately $1.8 billion. U. S. Steel's claims have been challenged by a number of interested parties which, if successful, could result in the reclassification of those claims and/or modifications to the values of those claims. U. S. Steel is contesting those challenges within the CCAA proceedings, the outcome of which can not be reasonably estimated at this time.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROCEEDINGS
Gary Works
U. S. Steel has agreed to close three hazardous waste disposal (HWD) sites located on plant property at Gary Works: D5, along with an adjacent solid waste disposal unit, Terminal Treatment Plant (TTP) Area; T2; and D2 combined with a portion of the Refuse Area, where a solid waste disposal unit overlaps with the hazardous waste disposal unit. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) has approved the closure plans for all three sites. Closure is complete at D5, TTP, and T2, with IDEM approval of the closure certification reports on February 1, 2012 (D5), April 3, 2012 (TTP), and November 1, 2012 (T2). Final field work for the HWD-2 and Refuse Area Project will continue through the second quarter of 2015. As of March 31, 2015, the accrued liability for estimated costs to close these sites is approximately $6 million.
On October 23, 1998, the EPA issued a final Administrative Order on Consent (Order) addressing Corrective Action for Solid Waste Management Units (SWMU) throughout Gary Works. This Order requires U. S. Steel to perform a RCRA Facility Investigation (RFI), a Corrective Measure Study (CMS) and Corrective Measure Implementation. Reports of field investigation findings for Phase I work plans have been submitted to the EPA. Through March 31, 2015, U. S. Steel has spent $61 million for corrective action studies, Vessel Slip Turning Basin interim measures and other corrective actions.
U. S. Steel received notification from the EPA in September 2014 that the requirement for conducting a Perimeter Groundwater Monitoring Program as defined in the Order had been satisfied. U. S. Steel continues to conduct focused groundwater assessment work previously identified by the Program and approved by the EPA. U. S. Steel has completed portions of an Interim Stabilization Measure to address certain components of the East Side Groundwater Solid Waste Management Area as required by the Order. Until the remaining Phase I work and Phase II field investigations are completed, it is not possible to assess what additional expenditures will be necessary for Corrective Action projects at Gary Works. In total, the accrued liability for Corrective Action projects is approximately $33 million as of March 31, 2015, based on the estimated remaining costs.
Mon Valley Works
On October 23, 2013, the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) issued a notice of violation (NOV) to U. S. Steel regarding emissions from its C Battery quench tower. In the NOV, ACHD alleges that based upon stack testing data, the sulfur compound emissions from the quench tower exceeded those authorized by the corresponding installation permit. U. S. Steel notified ACHD that it cannot continuously meet the sulfur compound emission limits from the pushing operations and the underfire stack at C Battery, and that it cannot certify continuous compliance with permit requirements associated with charging emissions from C Battery. On August 7, 2014, U. S. Steel and ACHD entered into an administrative Consent Order and Agreement in which U. S. Steel agreed to (and subsequently did) submit a permit application to correct the emission limits for pushing, quenching, and the underfire stacks, comply with the charging limit by October 31, 2015, and pay a civil penalty of $300,000. $150,000 of this penalty has been paid and the remaining $150,000 is due by December 31, 2015.
Fairless Plant
In January 1992, U. S. Steel commenced negotiations with the EPA regarding the terms of an Administrative Order on consent, pursuant to RCRA, under which U. S. Steel would perform an RFI and a CMS at our Fairless Plant. A
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Phase I RFI report was submitted during the third quarter of 1997. The cost to U. S. Steel to continue to maintain the interim measures, develop a Phase II/III RFI Work Plan and implement certain corrective measures is estimated to be $597,000. Significant additional costs associated with this site are possible and are referenced in Note 19 to the Consolidated Financial Statements “Contingencies and Commitments – Environmental Matters – Remediation Projects – Projects with Ongoing Study and Scope Development.”
Fairfield Works
A consent decree was signed by U. S. Steel, the EPA and the U.S. Department of Justice and filed with the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama (United States of America v. USX Corporation) on December 11, 1997. In accordance with the consent decree, U. S. Steel initiated a RCRA corrective action program at the Fairfield Works facility. The Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM), with the approval of the EPA, assumed primary responsibility for regulation and oversight of the RCRA corrective action program at Fairfield Works. The Phase I RFI for waste disposed of at the Exum Materials Management Area was voluntarily implemented in December 2011 with a final completion report submitted to ADEM in June 2012. A Phase II RFI for the Fairfield facility property was completed in December 2012 and the completion report was submitted to ADEM in the third quarter of 2013. Additional Phase II facility investigations will commence in the second quarter of 2015. In total, the accrued liability for remaining work under the Corrective Action Program, including the former Ensley facility, was $408,000 at March 31, 2015, based on estimated remaining costs. Significant additional costs associated with this site are possible and are referenced in Note 19 to the Consolidated Financial Statements “Contingencies and Commitments – Environmental Matters – Remediation Projects – Projects with Ongoing Study and Scope Development.”
Lorain Tubular Operations
In September 2006, U. S. Steel received a letter from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) inviting U. S. Steel to enter into discussions about RCRA Corrective Action at Lorain Tubular Operations. A Phase I RFI on the identified SWMUs and Area of Contamination was submitted in March 2012. A revised Phase II workplan that addresses additional soil investigations, site wide groundwater and the pipe mill lagoon was submitted to the OEPA in July 2013 and approved in December 2013. Perimeter groundwater monitoring wells were installed in June 2014 and the two rounds of sampling have been completed. As of March 31, 2015, U. S. Steel has spent $1 million on studies at this site, and costs to complete additional projects are estimated to be $183,000. Significant additional costs associated with this site are possible and are referenced in Note 19 to the Consolidated Financial Statements “Contingencies and Commitments – Environmental Matters – Remediation Projects – Projects with Ongoing Study and Scope Development.”
Great Lakes Works
On October 10, 2012, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) issued a Violation Notice alleging the No. 2 baghouse at the No. 2 BOP exceeded applicable emission limits based upon stack testing conducted earlier in 2012. On October 31, 2012, U. S. Steel responded to the notice indicating that corrective actions at the baghouse have been employed, and stack tests conducted after the repairs were made demonstrate the stack complies with emission limits. In addition, on April 26, 2013, MDEQ issued a Violation Notice alleging the Selective Catalytic Reduction system on the Continuous Galvanizing Line was not operating properly on March 27, 2013. U. S. Steel responded to the Violation Notice on May 24, 2013. On October 8, 2014, U. S. Steel entered into an administrative consent order with MDEQ in which U. S. Steel, while admitting no liability, agreed to pay a civil penalty of $111,000, retest the No. 2 BOP baghouse, and submit a permit application to revise the limits and operating practices regarding the Continuous Galvanizing Line. U. S. Steel has since paid the civil penalty, submitted a permit application to amend the permit limit and operating practices of the Continuous Galvanizing Line, and is arranging to retest the No. 2 BOP baghouse pursuant to the terms of the consent order. U. S. Steel is currently negotiating the requested revisions to the Continuous Galvanizing Line with MDEQ.
In a Violation Notice dated March 13, 2014, MDEQ alleged that Great Lakes Works installed two emergency diesel generators without obtaining a permit to install. The generators were installed in 2006. On April 3, 2014, U. S. Steel responded to the notice indicating that according to MDEQ regulations, the emergency generators are exempt from permitting and that no violation occurred. In addition, U. S. Steel questioned the timeliness of the notice because U. S. Steel provided notice of their installation to MDEQ on August 3, 2006.
On March 27, 2014, the No. 2 BOP Shop experienced an incident when air pollution control ductwork unexpectedly collapsed. The incident resulted in structural damage and atypical emissions. On April 14, 2014, MDEQ issued a Violation Notice that also included a request for additional information. U. S. Steel responded to the notice on May 5,
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2014. In addition, on April 14, 2014, the EPA issued a separate Notice of Violation regarding the same incident alleging that U. S. Steel failed to properly operate the BOP furnace and failed to continuously meet roof monitor opacity standards. U. S. Steel continues to discuss resolution of the matter with both MDEQ and the EPA.
During the first quarter of 2015, Great Lakes Works received Violation Notices from MDEQ relating to BOP roof monitor opacity exceedances which allegedly occurred in September and November of 2014. U. S. Steel is drafting responses to the notices and plans to discuss resolution of the matter with MDEQ.
On April 6, 2015, Great Lakes Works received a Violation Notice for emissions violations reported in the stack test results for the No. 1 Argon Stir Station baghouse submitted to MDEQ on December 9, 2014. U. S. Steel has responded to the notice.
Although discussions with MDEQ regarding the foregoing alleged violations are ongoing and the resolution of these matters is uncertain at this time, it is not anticipated that the result of those discussions will be material to U. S. Steel.
Granite City Works
U. S. Steel received two Violation Notices, dated February 20, 2004 and March 25, 2004, for air violations at the coke batteries, the blast furnace and the steel shop at our Granite City Works facility. All of the issues have been resolved except for an issue relating to air emissions that occurs when coke is pushed out of the ovens, for which a compliance plan has been submitted to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA). On December 18, 2007, U. S. Steel and IEPA entered into a Consent Order, (State of Illinois ex. rel. Lisa Madigan vs. United States Steel Corporation), which resolved the issues raised in the two Violation Notices. The Consent Order required that U. S. Steel (1) pay a penalty of $300,000, which U. S. Steel paid on January 10, 2008; (2) demonstrate compliance with Coke Oven Pushing Operations in accordance with the compliance schedule provided in the Order; (3) comply with the basic oxygen furnace (BOF) opacity emissions in accordance with the schedule provided in the Consent Order; and (4) submit to the IEPA a revised permit application with the correct sulfur dioxide emission factors. In February 2011, U. S. Steel demonstrated compliance with the applicable requirements, and in March 2011 U. S. Steel certified compliance with the applicable regulations. U. S. Steel continues to negotiate permit modifications to address the blast furnace gas sulfur dioxide emission factor as required by the Consent Order.
On July 1, 2010, U. S. Steel entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the IEPA that requires Granite City Works to achieve reductions in emissions of particulate matter. To complete the obligations pursuant to the MOU, U. S. Steel is constructing a new facility with additional pollution controls at the BOF. Construction of the new facility, which is expected to cost approximately $50 million, was begun in 2013 and startup is anticipated to occur in the second quarter of 2015.
On November 30, 2012, the IEPA issued a Violation Notice alleging violations of emission standards from the facility’s BOF. In the Notice, the IEPA also alleged the facility failed to comply with associated CAA regulations and the facility did not use steam rings at the BOF as required by the facility’s Title V permit. U. S. Steel met with the IEPA on February 6, 2013 and provided a written response to the IEPA on February 27, 2013. U. S. Steel and IEPA continue to discuss resolution of the matter.
Although discussions with the IEPA regarding the foregoing alleged violations are ongoing and the resolution of these matters is uncertain at this time, it is not anticipated that the result of those discussions will be material to U. S. Steel.
Minnesota Ore Operations
On February 6, 2013, the EPA published a Federal Implementation Plan (FIP) that applies to taconite facilities in Minnesota. The FIP establishes and requires the use of low NOx burners on indurating furnaces as Best Available Retrofit Technology. While U. S. Steel has already installed low NOx burners on two furnaces at Minntac and is currently obligated to install low NOx burners on the three other furnaces at Minntac pursuant to existing agreements and permits, the rule would require the installation of low NOx burners on the one furnace at Keetac for which U. S. Steel did not have an otherwise existing obligation. U. S. Steel estimates expenditures associated with the installation of low NOx burners of as much as $40 million to $50 million. On June 14, 2013, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals stayed the effectiveness of the FIP. The EPA also published a final rule denying the approval of the Minnesota State Implementation Plan (SIP), which did not require the installation of low NOx burners and determined the applicable Best Available Retrofit Technology on a case-by-case basis. U. S. Steel and other taconite facilities have petitioned the EPA for reconsideration of the final rule denying the SIP, and have also petitioned the Eighth Circuit for judicial
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review of the final rule denying the SIP. U. S. Steel continues to negotiate with the EPA to resolve the issues identified in the petitions.
On March 2, 2012, U. S. Steel’s Keetac facility received an NOV from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) for alleged violations of the Minnesota Fugitive Dust Rule. U. S. Steel responded to the notice on March 30, 2012 in which it respectfully contested the allegations provided in the notice. To date, no response from the MPCA has been received nor has any penalty been assessed.
On January 20, 2013, U. S. Steel’s Keetac facility received an Alleged Violations Letter (AVL) from MPCA alleging a violation of Minnesota rules during a wind and fugitive dust event on the Keetac Taconite tailings basin in December 2012. In February 2013, U. S. Steel responded to the AVL indicating that no violation occurred, and also explained the actions taken by Keetac during the December wind event to minimize emissions. To date, no response from the MPCA has been received nor has any penalty been assessed.
On April 6, 2015, Keetac received an AVL from MPCA alleging that Keetac allowed particulate matter to become airborne on November 21, 2014, November 30, 2014, December 4, 2014, and February 4, 2015, and that the fugitive dust exited U. S. Steel property. U. S. Steel will provide a written response to the allegations raised in the letter as requested by MPCA.
In June 2011, U. S. Steel and MPCA reached agreement on a Schedule of Compliance (SOC) to address alleged water quality issues at the Minntac facility. The 2011 Agreement required U. S. Steel to determine sulfate levels at the property boundary and to resolve the water quality allegations. In addition, the Agreement anticipated that U. S. Steel would trial a dry control system on Line 6 at Minntac. Since then, U. S. Steel has employed actions to address some of the allegations raised in the SOC. In addition, since then, U. S. Steel has conducted additional investigations and evaluated technologies that would be used to address other water quality allegations in the SOC and reduce sulfate levels in groundwater outside the boundaries of Minnesota Ore. The actions already employed as well as the new data indicate that the proposed dry control system in the 2011 Agreement would not be an effective means to reach the goals outlined in the SOC. U. S. Steel is currently negotiating a path forward with MPCA.
Although discussions with MPCA regarding the foregoing alleged violations have not been concluded and the resolution of these matters is uncertain at this time, it is not anticipated that the result of those discussions will be material to U. S. Steel.
Geneva Works
At U. S. Steel’s former Geneva Works, liability for environmental remediation, including the closure of three hazardous waste impoundments and facility-wide corrective action, has been allocated between U. S. Steel and the current property owner pursuant to an agreement and a permit issued by the Utah Department of Environmental Quality (UDEQ). As of March 31, 2015, U. S. Steel has spent $18.7 million to complete remediation on certain areas of the site. Having completed the investigation on a majority of the remaining areas identified in the permit, U. S. Steel has determined the most effective means to address the remaining impacted material is to manage those materials in a previously approved on-site Corrective Action Management Unit (CAMU). Preliminary approval of the conceptual CAMU design has been granted by the UDEQ. U. S. Steel has an accrued liability of $64 million as of March 31, 2015, for our estimated share of the remaining costs of remediation.
Duluth Works
The former U. S. Steel Duluth Works site was placed on the National Priorities List under CERCLA in 1983 and on the State of Minnesota’s Superfund list in 1984. Liability for environmental remediation at the site is governed by a Response Order by Consent executed with the MPCA in 1985 and a Record of Decision signed by MPCA in 1989. As of March 31, 2015, U. S. Steel has spent $24.8 million to complete remediation on certain areas of the site. U. S. Steel is finalizing two feasibility studies that include remedial measures to address contaminated sediments in the St. Louis River Estuary and several Upland Operable Units that could impact the Estuary if not addressed. Additionally, a Remedial Action Plan is being finalized to address the impacted areas on approximately 132 acres of upland property where a potential redevelopment opportunity has been identified. Additional study, investigation and oversight costs, and implementation of U. S. Steel's preferred remedial alternatives on the upland property and Estuary are currently estimated as of March 31, 2015 at $50 million.
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USS-POSCO Industries (UPI)
At UPI, a joint venture between subsidiaries of U. S. Steel and POSCO, corrective measures have been implemented for the majority of the former SWMUs. Prior to the formation of UPI, U. S. Steel owned and operated the Pittsburg, California facility and retained responsibility for the existing environmental conditions. Seven SWMUs remain at the facility. Based on their constituents, six of these SWMUs have been combined into two groups of three, while one SWMU remains a single entity. Investigation of the single SWMU is complete and an engineered remedy was defined to account for the costs associated with implementing U. S. Steel's preferred remedy. Investigation for the second SWMU group is also complete with recommendations, limited to future monitoring only, currently being discussed with the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC). Evaluations continue for the remaining SWMU group and it is likely that corrective measures will be required, but it is not possible at this time to define a scope or estimate costs for what may be required by the DTSC. As of March 31, 2015, $8 million remains for ongoing environmental studies, investigations and remedy implementation. Significant additional costs associated with this site are possible and are referenced in Note 19 to the Consolidated Financial Statements “Contingencies and Commitments – Environmental Matters – Remediation Projects – Projects with Ongoing Study and Scope Development.”
EPA Region V Federal Lawsuit
On August 1, 2012, the EPA, joined by the States of Illinois, Indiana and Michigan, initiated an action in the Northern District of Indiana alleging various air regulatory violations at Gary Works, Granite City Works, and Great Lakes Works. For more information on this action, see Note 19 to the Consolidated Financial Statements “Contingencies and Commitments – EPA Region V Federal Lawsuit.”
Other
In April 2003, U. S. Steel and Salomon Smith Barney Holdings, Inc. (SSB) entered into a Consent Order with the Kansas Department of Health & Environment (KDHE) concerning a former zinc smelting operation in Cherryvale, Kansas. Remediation was essentially completed in 2007 and U. S. Steel and SSB continue to work with KDHE to address the remaining issues. As such, the Consent Order was amended on May 3, 2013, to investigate potential contamination beyond the boundary of the former zinc smelting operation. As of March 31, 2015, an accrual of $573,000 remains available for addressing these outstanding issues.
In January of 2004, U. S. Steel received notice of a claim from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and notice of claims from citizens of a cap failure at the Dayton Landfill. U. S. Steel’s allocated share of liability at this site is approximately 16 percent. The Remedial Action Plan for the site was approved by TCEQ in June 2009. Implementation of remedial measures was initiated in July 2010 and all fieldwork was completed in November 2011. On March 18, 2013, TCEQ approved the Response Action Completion Report. The accrued liability for U. S. Steel’s share to implement the post-closure monitoring program, which is not material to U. S. Steel, was $324,000 as of March 31, 2015, and no further costs are anticipated.
In May 2010, MPCA notified Canadian National Railroad Company (CN) of apparent environmental impacts on their property adjacent to the former U. S. Steel Duluth Works. U. S. Steel subsequently obtained information indicating its connection to the site, and reviewed a site investigation report that CN prepared and submitted to MPCA in August 2011. On December 6, 2011, U. S. Steel agreed to purchase the site and to take responsibility for addressing the identified environmental impacts. The property transaction was closed on June 26, 2012. The site was enrolled into the MPCA Voluntary Investigation and Cleanup Program in May 2014. As of March 31, 2015, U. S. Steel has an accrued liability of approximately $2 million.
U. S. Steel is identified as a PRP at the former Breslube-Penn operating site, an oil recycling and solvent recovery operation located in Coraopolis, PA. U. S. Steel’s allocated share of the cost among the participating PRPs is approximately 29 percent. A Record of Decision was issued by the EPA in August 2007 and a Consent Decree to perform a Remedial Design/Remedial Action was entered by the court in September 2009. The EPA approved the Remedial Design on May 1, 2014, and construction of the remedy began in late May 2014. Remaining construction tasks will be completed in the first half of 2015. As of March 31, 2015, U. S. Steel has an accrued liability of approximately $1 million reflecting its share of the cost to complete remedial measures at the site.
Other Regulatory
In March 2015, the Occupational Safety Health and Administration (OSHA) issued multiple "Serious" citations and one "Willful" citation and proposed penalties totaling $107,900 resulting from a September 2014 fatality incident at U. S. Steel's Fairfield Works plant in Alabama. OSHA has proposed that U. S. Steel be placed in the Severe Violator
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Enforcement Program. U. S. Steel has filed a Notice of Contest and is working towards an appropriate resolution with OSHA.
ASBESTOS LITIGATION
As of March 31, 2015, U. S. Steel was a defendant in approximately 900 active cases involving approximately 3,420 plaintiffs. The vast majority of these cases involve multiple defendants. At December 31, 2014, U. S. Steel was a defendant in approximately 880 active cases involving approximately 3,455 plaintiffs. About 2,540, or approximately 74 percent, of these plaintiff claims are currently pending in jurisdictions which permit filings with massive numbers of plaintiffs. Based upon U. S. Steel’s experience in such cases, it believes that the actual number of plaintiffs who ultimately assert claims against U. S. Steel will likely be a small fraction of the total number of plaintiffs. During the three months ended March 31, 2015, settlements and other dispositions resolved approximately 110 claims, and new case filings added approximately 75 claims. During 2014, settlements and other dispositions resolved approximately 190 cases, and new case filings added approximately 325 cases.
The following table shows activity with respect to asbestos litigation:
| Period ended | OpeningNumberof Claims | ClaimsDismissed,Settledand Resolved | NewClaims | ClosingNumberof Claims |
| December 31, 2012 | 3,235 | 190 | 285 | 3,330 |
| December 31, 2013 | 3,330 | 250 | 240 | 3,320 |
| December 31, 2014 | 3,320 | 190 | 325 | 3,455 |
| March 31, 2015 | 3,455 | 110 | 75 | 3,420 |

Historically, asbestos-related claims against U. S. Steel fall into three major groups: (1) claims made by persons who allegedly were exposed to asbestos on the premises of U. S. Steel facilities; (2) claims made by persons allegedly exposed to products manufactured by U. S. Steel; and (3) claims made under certain federal and maritime laws by employees of former operations of U. S. Steel.
The amount U. S. Steel accrues for pending asbestos claims is not material to U. S. Steel’s financial condition. However, U. S. Steel is unable to estimate the ultimate outcome of asbestos-related claims due to a number of uncertainties, including (1) the rates at which new claims are filed, (2) the number of and effect of bankruptcies of other companies traditionally defending asbestos claims, (3) uncertainties associated with the variations in the litigation process from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, (4) uncertainties regarding the facts, circumstances and disease process with each claim, and (5) any new legislation enacted to address asbestos-related claims. Despite these uncertainties, management believes that the ultimate resolution of these matters will not have a material adverse effect on U. S. Steel’s financial condition, although the resolution of such matters could significantly impact results of operations for a particular quarter.
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Item 6.
EXHIBITS
| 10.1 | Form of Non-Qualified Stock Option Grant Agreement. |
| 10.2 | Form of Incentive Award Agreement, 2010 Annual Incentive Compensation Plan. |
| 10.3 | Administrative Procedures for the Long-Term Incentive Compensation Program, as amended February 24, 2015. |
| 10.4 | Administrative Procedures for the Executive Management Annual Incentive Compensation Program, as amended January 27, 2015. |
| 31.1 | Certification of Chief Executive Officer required by Rules 13a-14(a) or 15d-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. |
| 31.2 | Certification of Chief Financial Officer required by Rules 13a-14(a) or 15d-14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. |
| 32.1 | Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. |
| 32.2 | Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. |
| 95 | Mine Safety Disclosure required under Section 1503 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. |
| 101 INS | XBRL Instance Document |
| 101 SCH | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document |
| 101 CAL | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document |
| 101 DEF | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document |
| 101 LAB | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document |
| 101 PRE | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document |

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SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned chief accounting officer thereunto duly authorized.
| UNITED STATES STEEL CORPORATION |
| By | /s/ Colleen M. Darragh |
| Colleen M. Darragh |
| Vice President & Controller |

April 29, 2015
WEB SITE POSTING
This Form 10-Q will be posted on the U. S. Steel web site, www.ussteel.com, within a few days of its filing.
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Question: What is the percentage drop in the total operating earnings from all segments, considering the operating earnings each from the Flat-Rolled, USSE, and Tubular segments in 2015 and 2014?

Solution:
def solution():
    # Define variables name and value
    earnings_2015_flatrolled = -67
    earnings_2014_flatrolled = 85
    earnings_2015_usse = 37
    earnings_2014_usse = 32
    earnings_2015_tubular = 1
    earnings_2014_tubular = 24

    # Do math calculation to get the answer
    total_earnings_2015 = earnings_2015_flatrolled + earnings_2015_usse + earnings_2015_tubular
    total_earnings_2014 = earnings_2014_flatrolled + earnings_2014_usse + earnings_2014_tubular
    percentage_drop = ((total_earnings_2014 - total_earnings_2015) / total_earnings_2014) * 100
    return percentage_drop


Answer: 120.56737588652481