**[VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL]{.underline}**

May 15, 2007

EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Enforcement and Compliance Docket and Information Center

Mail Code 2201T

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20460

> RE: [NESHAP FOR MINERAL WOOL PRODUCTION (RENEWAL); DOCKET ID NO.
> EPA-HQ-OECA-2006-0721]{.underline}

Dear Sir or Madam:

The North American Insulation Manufacturers Association ("NAIMA") is the
trade association for North American manufacturers of fiber glass, rock
wool, and slag wool insulation products. NAIMA's rock wool and slag wool
manufacturers are also known as mineral wool producers. In fact, these
rock wool and slag wool manufacturers were subject to the National
Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants ("NESHAP") for Mineral
Wool Production, which were proposed on May 8, 1997, and promulgated on
June 1, 1999. Therefore, NAIMA took interest in EPA's announcement that
an Information Collection Request ("ICR") on the NESHAP for Mineral Wool
Production had been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget
("OMB") for review and approval.

This letter is written in response to the Federal Register notice on the
Mineral Wool Production ICR. In that the ICR deals with reporting of
facility specific information, NAIMA believes that the current operating
status and ownership of the various mineral wool production facilities
would be relevant to EPA and the OMB. When the NESHAP for Mineral Wool
Production was promulgated on June 1, 1999, the following mineral wool
production facilities were in operation in the United States:

+-----------------+--------------------+----------+---------+---------+
| **Company**     | **Location**       | **       | **No    | **Date  |
|                 |                    | Bonded** | nbonded | of      |
|                 |                    |          | Lines** | Install |
|                 |                    | *        |         | ation** |
|                 |                    | *Lines** |         |         |
+-----------------+--------------------+----------+---------+---------+
| American        | Spring Hope, NC    | 0        | 2       | 1978    |
| Rockwool        |                    |          |         |         |
+-----------------+--------------------+----------+---------+---------+
| American        | Nolanville, TX     | 0        | 2       | 1986    |
| Rockwool        |                    |          |         |         |
+-----------------+--------------------+----------+---------+---------+
| Celotex         | Pittston, PA       | 0        | 1       | 1957    |
+-----------------+--------------------+----------+---------+---------+
| Celotex         | Lagro, IN          | 0        | 2       | 1946    |
+-----------------+--------------------+----------+---------+---------+
| Fibrex          | Alexandria, IN     | 0        | 2       | 1970    |
+-----------------+--------------------+----------+---------+---------+
| Isolatek        | Huntington, IN     | 0        | 2       | 1929    |
+-----------------+--------------------+----------+---------+---------+
| MFS Inc.        | Bethlehem, PA      | 0        | 2       | 1970    |
+-----------------+--------------------+----------+---------+---------+
| Owens Corning   | Phenix City, AL    | 1        | 1       | 1990    |
+-----------------+--------------------+----------+---------+---------+
| Rock Wool       | Leeds, AL          | 1        | 1       | 1970    |
| Mfring.         |                    |          |         |         |
+-----------------+--------------------+----------+---------+---------+
| Sloss           | Birmingham, AL     | 0        | 5       | 1947    |
+-----------------+--------------------+----------+---------+---------+
| Thermafiber     | Wabash, IN         | 1        | 1       | 1935    |
+-----------------+--------------------+----------+---------+---------+
| Thermafiber     | Tacoma, WA         | 1        | 1       | 1946    |
+-----------------+--------------------+----------+---------+---------+
| Thermafiber     | Birmingham, AL     | 1        | 1       | 1959    |
+-----------------+--------------------+----------+---------+---------+
| USG             | Walworth, WI       | 0        | 1       | 1959    |
+-----------------+--------------------+----------+---------+---------+
| USG             | Red Wing, MN       | 0        | 2       | 1959    |
+-----------------+--------------------+----------+---------+---------+

Due to a variety of factors, including economic hardship from stringent
regulations, seven mineral wool production facilities have ceased
operations, and three facilities have reduced the number of operating
lines. As noted below, two companies have changed owners. The following
is a list of currently operating mineral wool facilities and the number
of production lines:

+-----------------+--------------------+----------+---------+---------+
| **Company**     | **Location**       | **       | **No    | **Date  |
|                 |                    | Bonded** | nbonded | of      |
|                 |                    |          | Lines** | Install |
|                 |                    | *        |         | ation** |
|                 |                    | *Lines** |         |         |
+-----------------+--------------------+----------+---------+---------+
| Amerrock        | Nolanville, Texas  | 0        | 2[^1]   | 1986    |
+-----------------+--------------------+----------+---------+---------+
| Isolatek        | Huntington,        | 0        | 2       | 1929    |
|                 | Indiana            |          |         |         |
+-----------------+--------------------+----------+---------+---------+
| IIG             | Phenix City,       | 1[^2]    | 1       | 1990    |
|                 | Alabama            |          |         |         |
+-----------------+--------------------+----------+---------+---------+
| Rock Wool       | Leeds, Alabama     | 1[^3]    | 1       | 1970    |
| Mfring          |                    |          |         |         |
+-----------------+--------------------+----------+---------+---------+
| Sloss           | Birmingham,        | 0        | 5       | 1947    |
|                 | Alabama            |          |         |         |
+-----------------+--------------------+----------+---------+---------+
| Thermafiber     | Wabash, Indiana    | 1        | 1       | 1935    |
+-----------------+--------------------+----------+---------+---------+
| USG             | Walworth,          | 0        | 1       | 1959    |
|                 | Wisconsin          |          |         |         |
+-----------------+--------------------+----------+---------+---------+
| USG             | Red Wing,          | 0        | 2       | 1959    |
|                 | Minnesota          |          |         |         |
+-----------------+--------------------+----------+---------+---------+

As the above charts illustrate, the following facilities have closed and
have ceased operations since 1999: American Rockwool, Spring Hope, North
Carolina; Celotex, Pittston, Pennsylvania; Celotex, Lagro, Indiana;
Fibrex, Alexandria, Indiana; MFS, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; Thermafiber,
Tacoma, Washington, and Thermafiber, Birmingham, Alabama. There is no
indication that these facilities will resume operation.

The following facilities have reduced the number of lines operated:
Amerrock, IIG, and Rock Wool Manufacturing. American Rockwool,
Nolanville, Texas, is now owned by Amerrock Products LP, and Owens
Corning, Phenix City, Alabama, is now owned by IIG (Industrial
Insulation Group, LLC).

If EPA has any questions regarding this information, please do not
hesitate to contact the undersigned.

Sincerely,

***Angus E. Crane***

Angus E. Crane

Vice President, General Counsel

[^1]: Amerrock has two (2) operational lines, but due to a consent order
    with Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Amerrock is only
    permitted to operate one (1) line at a time.

[^2]: IIG continues to operate both an unbonded and bonded line, but
    those lines are not operated simultaneously. In other words, only
    one cupola is in operation at IIG.

[^3]: Rockwool Manufacturing continues to operate both an unbonded and
    bonded line, but those lines are not operated simultaneously. In
    other words, only one cupola is in operation at Rockwool
    Manufacturing.