Today, the Land and Environmental Court has announced that H2 Green Steel AB has been granted an environmental permit for its fossil-free steel production facility in Boden municipality. The permit covers the construction and operation of the steel mill, including the production of 280,000 tons of hydrogen and 4,200,000 tons of sponge iron per year.
“This is very positive news for Boden and the entire county that the company has now been granted an environmental permit for its operations. Fossil-free steel production is a crucial part of the societal transformation and the transition that Norrbotten, Sweden, and the world need to make,” said County Governor Lotta Finstorp.
The County Administrative Board’s general stance, as expressed in its statements, has been that the operations should be allowed under certain conditions, including requirements for financial security, waste management, and limitations on disturbances such as noise and dust.
“The court considers that the company’s application is complete and that the operations are permissible under the Environmental Code. In connection with the environmental permit, the court has imposed several conditions that must be met. These conditions include regulations for emissions to the air, dust, and noise. The company must also provide or maintain an industrial rescue service capable of handling accidents and incidents. We will review these conditions and what they mean for the company and us as the supervisory authority,” said Anna-Carin Ohlsson, Unit Manager of the Environmental Protection Unit.
The company has previously been granted permission to carry out the necessary construction work for the planned steel mill within the Svartbyn industrial area in Boden (a so-called building permit). H2GS AB has also been granted exemptions for species and habitat protection, permission to redirect Lillbäcken, and permission to redirect groundwater from soil and rock excavations.
