Policy and Legal

The Environmental Protection Agency announced Wednesday it would begin a large-scale, NAM-supported review of dozens of rules and regulations, including the previous administration’s unworkable National Ambient Air Quality Standards for particulate matter and an overly burdensome power plant emissions rule (EPA).

What’s going on: In response to sustained advocacy from the NAM and manufacturers around the U.S., EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said in a press release and Wall Street Journal (subscription) op-ed that he intends to take swift action to review and potentially rescind regulations that were hamstringing manufacturers and needlessly driving up costs across the board.

What’s in it: The NAM in December called on President Trump to reverse the regulatory onslaught of the past four years. NAM-recommended actions included in yesterday’s EPA announcement included reconsideration of the following:

• NAAQS for PM2.5: Last year, the Biden administration tightened the primary annual standard for particular matter—more commonly known as soot—to an untenable 9 micrograms per cubic meter from 12 micrograms per cubic meter. Manufacturers found to be in nonattainment of these standards will now be denied permits for new and expanded facilities.
• Power plant rules: The previous administration’s emissions regulations on existing coal-fired and new natural gas–powered power plants include an unrealistic timeline for the widespread adoption of expensive, unproven new technology; this regulation threatens grid reliability and the ability of manufacturers to receive power for their operations.
• Vehicle regulations: Current regulations of light-, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles impose costly hardships on auto manufacturers.
• Waters of the United States: The last administration had made the scope of the Clean Water Act overly broad, resulting in high costs and even slowed permitting processes.

Our view: “President Donald Trump and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin have answered the calls of manufacturers across the country to rebalance and reconsider burdensome federal regulations harming America’s ability to compete,” NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons said in a statement picked up by The Washington Post (subscription).