The Environmental Protection Agency’s Utility MACT rule is awaiting implementation and scheduled to be finalized by December 2011.
The EPA’s Utility MACT rule requires an untimely decrease in mercury emissions by power plants. The Asheville Chamber recently asked President Obama, his Cabinet and the EPA to first consider the implications on North Carolina business and jobs the Utility MACT rule will have if implemented.
Economists are predicting the MACT (scheduled to begin in December) will drive up prices for the power sector, manufacturers and other industries vital to NC. The Asheville Chamber encourages the President remain diligent in safeguarding our environment while also protecting businesses and working families.
US Senate takes Action:
Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Dan Coats (R-Ind.) introduced the bipartisan “Fair Compliance Act” to create reasonable timelines and benchmarks for utilities to comply with two major Environmental Protection Agency to protect jobs and keep utility rates stable. The legislation would extend the compliance deadline for the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) by three years and the deadline for the Utility MACT rule by two years – so that both would fall on January 1, 2017. Our federal delegation can help to delay this rule to give the appropriate time to assess the impact by supporting Senate Bill 1833.
How You Can Help
Contact the President and EPA
Due to the limited time we have to ensure our message is heard, we cannot afford to rely on the post office to deliver your letter. Additionally, White House security can often delay the delivery of letters to their recipients. So instead, please e-mail a .PDF copy of your letter to: E-mail Address: vjarrett@who.eop.gov
The Honorable Valerie B. Jarrett
Senior Advisor to the President
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20015
The Honorable Lisa Jackson
Administrator
Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
Contact your Federal Delegation
Our federal delegation can help to delay the Utility MACT to give the appropriate time to assess the impact of the Utility MACT rule by supporting Senate Bill 1833. Call your elected officials today.
Senator Richard Burr: (202) 224-3154
Senator Kay Hagan: (202) 224-6342
Congressman Heath Shuler: (202) 225-6401
Congressman Patrick McHenry: (202) 225-2576
Showing posts with label EPA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label EPA. Show all posts
Monday, November 21, 2011
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Public Policy Update: EPA and Collective Bargaining
EPA Delays Decision on 8 Hour Ozone Standard
In January of 2010 the EPA announced they would set a stricter 8 Hour Ozone Standard. The Chamber became involved with Land of Sky Regional Council and worked to create a policy position that protected the people and businesses of Western North Carolina. The Chamber desired the stricter regulation to come from Congress, which is accountable to voting constituents instead of from the EPA. The Chamber has been monitoring the situation and waiting for the EPA to announce the new standard. Yesterday the EPA announced that it will once again delay the decision until July of 2011. You can see the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce’s statement below and the EPA’s press release.
Asheville Chamber Position Statement
The Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce recognizes that climate change is an important issue which must be addressed by Congress. We strongly support efforts by Congress to craft comprehensive environmental legislation which reduces greenhouse gas emissions and protects our economic competitiveness and quality of life. The Chamber appreciates the role the Environmental Protection Agency plays in protecting the American people, but we do not support the recent efforts of the EPA to move towards regulating greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act. We urge Congress to develop this important environmental protection legislation within the next two years to continue the system of checks and balances necessary for issues that impact jobs, our economy, and environment. The Chamber recognizes that members of Congress are held accountable to constituents for decisions on cost and impacts and federal agencies do not have the same accountability for economic consequences.
EPA Statement
Under Administrator Jackson's leadership, in January the Environmental Protection Agency proposed stricter standards for smog - standards that would help prevent up to 12,000 premature deaths, 58,000 cases of aggravated asthma and save up to $100 billion dollars in health costs.
The proposed standard would replace an existing standard set during the previous Administration, which many - including the Agency's independent team of expert scientists known as Clean Air Science Advisory Committee (CASAC) - believed did not go far enough to protect public health.
Administrator Jackson proposed that EPA select a standard in the range that CASAC indicated would be protective of Americans' health. As part of EPA's extensive review of the science, Administrator Jackson will ask CASAC for further interpretation of the epidemiological and clinical studies they used to make their recommendation. To ensure EPA's decision is grounded in the best science, EPA will review the input CASAC provides before the new standard is selected. Given this ongoing scientific review, a final standard - which will be in the range recommended by the CASAC - will be set by the end of July, 2011.
In addition to this standard, EPA is moving forward with a number of national rules that will significantly reduce pollution and improve public health for all Americans. These include rules designed to reduce harmful emissions from cars, power plants and other industrial facilities that contribute to ozone formation. Taking additional time to complete the scientific review of the ozone standard will not delay the public health benefits of these rules.
Collective Bargaining Update
The revised collective bargaining mandate bill (S. 3911) that would have forced all states and local government to allow certain government employees to collectively bargain was REJECTED by the U.S. Senate yesterday (12/8). The cloture vote, allowing the bill to move forward for a full Senate floor vote FAILED by a vote of 55-43 (60 votes were needed) with U.S. Senator Kay Hagan (D) voting NO and U.S. Senator Richard Burr (R) voting NO.
In January of 2010 the EPA announced they would set a stricter 8 Hour Ozone Standard. The Chamber became involved with Land of Sky Regional Council and worked to create a policy position that protected the people and businesses of Western North Carolina. The Chamber desired the stricter regulation to come from Congress, which is accountable to voting constituents instead of from the EPA. The Chamber has been monitoring the situation and waiting for the EPA to announce the new standard. Yesterday the EPA announced that it will once again delay the decision until July of 2011. You can see the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce’s statement below and the EPA’s press release.
Asheville Chamber Position Statement
The Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce recognizes that climate change is an important issue which must be addressed by Congress. We strongly support efforts by Congress to craft comprehensive environmental legislation which reduces greenhouse gas emissions and protects our economic competitiveness and quality of life. The Chamber appreciates the role the Environmental Protection Agency plays in protecting the American people, but we do not support the recent efforts of the EPA to move towards regulating greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act. We urge Congress to develop this important environmental protection legislation within the next two years to continue the system of checks and balances necessary for issues that impact jobs, our economy, and environment. The Chamber recognizes that members of Congress are held accountable to constituents for decisions on cost and impacts and federal agencies do not have the same accountability for economic consequences.
EPA Statement
Under Administrator Jackson's leadership, in January the Environmental Protection Agency proposed stricter standards for smog - standards that would help prevent up to 12,000 premature deaths, 58,000 cases of aggravated asthma and save up to $100 billion dollars in health costs.
The proposed standard would replace an existing standard set during the previous Administration, which many - including the Agency's independent team of expert scientists known as Clean Air Science Advisory Committee (CASAC) - believed did not go far enough to protect public health.
Administrator Jackson proposed that EPA select a standard in the range that CASAC indicated would be protective of Americans' health. As part of EPA's extensive review of the science, Administrator Jackson will ask CASAC for further interpretation of the epidemiological and clinical studies they used to make their recommendation. To ensure EPA's decision is grounded in the best science, EPA will review the input CASAC provides before the new standard is selected. Given this ongoing scientific review, a final standard - which will be in the range recommended by the CASAC - will be set by the end of July, 2011.
In addition to this standard, EPA is moving forward with a number of national rules that will significantly reduce pollution and improve public health for all Americans. These include rules designed to reduce harmful emissions from cars, power plants and other industrial facilities that contribute to ozone formation. Taking additional time to complete the scientific review of the ozone standard will not delay the public health benefits of these rules.
Collective Bargaining Update
The revised collective bargaining mandate bill (S. 3911) that would have forced all states and local government to allow certain government employees to collectively bargain was REJECTED by the U.S. Senate yesterday (12/8). The cloture vote, allowing the bill to move forward for a full Senate floor vote FAILED by a vote of 55-43 (60 votes were needed) with U.S. Senator Kay Hagan (D) voting NO and U.S. Senator Richard Burr (R) voting NO.
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