Big River Steel gets OK to begin preliminary construction

Friday, January 24, 2014

By Sandra Brand | Osceola Times

Big River Steel is one step closer to becoming a reality.

The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) lifted the construction stay on Big River during a meeting in Little Rock early this morning (Friday).

Osceola Mayor Dickie Kennemore explained this does not mean the air permit has been approved, but it does mean John Correnti, CEO of Big River, can begin the preliminary construction phase such as soil tests etc.

"This is good news for the project," Kennemore said.

An administrative law judge has tentatively scheduled a Feb. 18 hearing on the appeal for the air permit.
Big River Steel, a $1.1 billion project, has promised to create at least 525 permanent jobs with an average wage of $75,000 in exchange for $125 million in state financing and other tax breaks. BRS will be built on the banks of the Mississippi River just south of Osceola.

Redistributed with permission from Sandra Brand. Original article link: http://www.couriernews.net/story/2044962.html