Timmons Talks EPA Regulatory Win, Permitting Reform with Fox News

NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons spoke with Fox News on Thursday about the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to scrap unworkable power plant rules — and why Congress should build on that action by advancing comprehensive permitting reform.

At the EPA: The decision to undo these onerous regulations “really sent a signal to manufacturers that the administration was listening to our concerns,” said Timmons, noting the NAM’s vocal opposition to those standards since they were enacted in 2024.

• “The timeline that they had proposed … wasn’t feasible—not that the aspirations for cleaner air and a healthier environment aren’t good aspirations,” Timmons said.
• “I think we all share that. I know the current EPA and Administrator [Lee] Zeldin certainly share those objectives, but how you get there really matters and whether manufacturers are able to meet the challenge.”

The big picture: Timmons stressed that manufacturers need a sensible and stable regulatory system, not big changes every time the presidency changes hands.

• “Uncertainty is the absolute worst enemy for manufacturers because manufacturers are on a very long-term horizon when it comes to planning and strategy, product development, research development. So, when administrations change, there has often been kind of that pendulum swing,” Timmons said.

On permitting: Timmons pointed to permitting reform as another priority for the industry, arguing that lengthy and unpredictable permitting processes can delay manufacturing investment and expansion.

• Policymakers must listen to manufacturers, Timmons emphasized, and involve them at every step of the policymaking process.
• “There needs to be more opportunities for business to be at the table—to really explain what the art of the possible is. No one is saying that we should not be working hard to achieve cleaner air, cleaner water, healthier communities. In fact, we’re saying exactly that. We should be part of the solution to make that happen,” he said.

The bottom line: The NAM has been leading the charge for comprehensive permitting reform, pressing policymakers to deliver the certainty manufacturers need to invest and grow. Its America on Hold report, released earlier this year, found that permitting delays cost more than $7.9 billion each year, while unpredictable timelines can hold back investment and growth.