Forest & Paper Assn. Weighs In Against EPA Rule That Will 'Cost Jobs'

Published: August 18, 2010

WASHINGTON, DC | The American Forest & Paper Assn. (AF&PA) recently applauded the 106 members of Congress who sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) expressing their concerns about the threat to manufacturing jobs posed by EPA’s proposed Boiler Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) rule. The letter comes while EPA is receiving comments on the proposed rule from stakeholders.

“AF&PA fully supports efforts aimed at protecting the environment and public health,” said AF&PA president and CEO Donna Harman. “Yet by mandating billions of dollars in upfront investments where they may not be needed—and at a time when our economy continues to struggle—the EPA’s current approach will cause huge job losses within the forest products industry and many others. Many of these jobs are located in rural areas and former manufacturing centers, just the types of communities that cannot afford additional economic pain. Our country needs a more targeted regulatory approach that directs investment and resources to the real sources of health and environmental risk.”

Boiler MACT sets emission limits for air pollutants from industrial boilers and process heaters used by a wide range of manufacturers, such as forest products mills, as well as universities, hospitals, small municipal power plants, Federal facilities and many others. The proposed Boiler MACT rule would set emission limits at levels which are barely detectable and possibly unachievable; require installation of up to four different air pollution control devices that will conflict with other existing control requirements; and impose costs to the forest products industry of a magnitude that could result in lost jobs.