Manufacturers EPA’s Boiler MACT Rules Will Cost Jobs

Washington, D.C., 12/02/11 -  National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) President and CEO Jay Timmons issued this statement on the revised Boiler MACT rules issued today by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):

“The EPA’s revised Boiler MACT rules will do significant harm to job growth and investment at a critical time in our recovery. This is yet another example of the EPA pursuing an aggressive agenda that is putting jobs at risk and creating uncertainty throughout the economy. Factoring in regulatory costs currently in place, it is already 20 percent more expensive to manufacture in the United States compared to our major trade partners.

We will continue to urge the EPA to extend the compliance time frame and consider a more reasonable approach to setting the emission standards to ensure additional jobs are not put at risk.

As long as these rules remain open to court challenges, legislation is needed to give manufacturers more certainty so they can begin to invest and create jobs. The House passed legislation earlier this year, and we strongly encourage the Senate to take a stand for jobs and pass the EPA Regulatory Relief Act as soon as possible. America’s job creators can no longer afford to be saddled with costly, burdensome and unrealistic regulations.

The employment report released today shows that only 2,000 new manufacturing jobs were created last month – we have to do better. Growth in manufacturing employment has stalled in recent months, and manufacturers are encouraging Congress to adopt policies that will enable manufacturers to invest in the future and create jobs.”