WASHINGTON DC,
June 22, 2011
(Press Release) -
American Forest & Paper Association President and CEO Donna Harman today issued the following statement on introduction of H.R. 2250, the EPA Regulatory Relief Act of 2011, in the U.S House of Representatives.
"This legislation is critical to protecting manufacturing jobs and providing a level of certainty in which businesses may operate while EPA rewrites the Boiler MACT rules. I commend Congressmen Morgan Griffith (R-VA) and G.K. Butterfield (D-NC), as well as Reps. John Barrow (D-GA), Jim Matheson (D-UT), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Pete Olson (R-TX), Mike Ross (D-AR), and Steve Scalise (R-LA) for their leadership in introducing this bill to help preserve manufacturing jobs across the country by asking EPA to set realistic standards for boilers.
"By EPA's own admission, there are significant portions of the Boiler MACT rules that require changes to be technically achievable in real-world operating conditions. The court previously denied EPA the time it needed to develop good rules, and now tens of thousands of jobs at businesses, municipalities, universities, hospitals and other institutions that operate boilers could be put at risk without this legislation. While EPA has stayed the rule, uncertainty remains as this rule has continually been influenced by judicial decisions. Congress has the authority to guarantee EPA the time they need to begin fixing this rule and the introduction of this bill is the first step toward establishing that guarantee.
"The Congressional direction provided by this legislation is consistent with the President's recent executive order on regulations and will result in boiler standards that simultaneously protect jobs and the environment. With the economy at its current tipping point, we urge the Congress to quickly pass this important legislation that will provide a win-win for jobs, communities and the environment."
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The American Forest & Paper Association is the national trade association of the forest products industry, representing pulp, paper, packaging and wood products manufacturers, and forest landowners. Our companies make products essential for everyday life from renewable and recyclable resources that sustain the environment. The forest products industry accounts for approximately 5 percent of the total U.S. manufacturing GDP. Industry companies produce about $175 billion in products annually and employ nearly 900,000 men and women, exceeding employment levels in the automotive, chemicals and plastics industries. The industry meets a payroll of approximately $50 billion annually and is among the top 10 manufacturing sector employers in 47 states.
