NAM says EPA Emissions Plan would raise energy prices.
Press Release Summary:
In response to EPA's announcement of Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to address carbon emissions, NAM said it will urge federal regulators to avoid using outdated programs such as New Source Review to deal with climate issue. According to NAM President, John Engler, using provisions of Clean Air Act, which was enacted by Congress to reduce local and regional emissions of air pollutants such as Particulate Matter and ozone, to regulate carbon, defies common sense.
Original Press Release:
NAM Says EPA Emissions Plan Would Lead To Higher Energy Prices
Group Will Continue To Work for "Commonsense" Climate Change Policies
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 11, 2008 - The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) today rejected plans of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that would use decades-old, complex provisions of the Clean Air Act (CAA) to regulate carbon emissions.
In response to the EPA's announcement of an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) to address carbon emissions, the NAM said it will urge federal regulators to avoid using outdated programs such as New Source Review (NSR) to deal with the climate issue.
"Using provisions of the Clean Air Act, which was enacted by Congress to reduce local and regional emissions of air pollutants such as Particulate Matter (PM) and ozone, to regulate carbon, defies common sense," said NAM President John Engler. "The NAM favors a modern, comprehensive, federal climate policy - debated by Congress - that will address the climate issue without exacerbating the current energy crisis."
The EPA's action addresses whether carbon emissions constitute an "endangerment" to the environment and public health, thereby potentially triggering regulation of carbon emissions under a variety of programs under the CAA. This action is a response to last year's Supreme Court decision in Massachusetts v. EPA that characterized carbon as a "pollutant" under the CAA, and remanded to EPA the issue of whether or not emissions constitute an "endangerment." While not proposing specific regulations to be promulgated by the agency, the ANPR will solicit comments to lay the groundwork for the carbon debate during the next Administration.
"Several economic analyses - including a 2008 study commissioned by the NAM- conclude that misguided approaches to federal climate policy can result in significant job losses across our nation and would reduce Gross Domestic Product, lower household income and increase the cost of gasoline and electricity," Engler said.
"The NAM is committed to continue working with Congress to craft a bipartisan, economically-sound plan to address America's energy crisis that recognizes our nation's responsibility to promote commonsense environmental stewardship. Regulating carbon emissions by means of a decades-old statute will not accomplish that task" Engler concluded.
The National Association of Manufacturers is the nation's largest industrial trade association, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the NAM has 11 additional offices across the country. Visit the NAM's award-winning web site at www.nam.org for more information about manufacturing and the economy.
CONTACT: HANK COX (202) 637-3090
