Georgia Mountain News

Today, a group of lawmakers led by Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials Subcommittee, Earl L. "Buddy Carter (R-GA), Western Caucus Chairman Dan Newhouse (WA-04), and Western Caucus Vice Chair Bruce Westerman (AR-04), called on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to rescind the recently finalized rule for National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for fine particulate matter (PM2.5). This move comes as the lawmakers express concerns about the impact of these standards on vital US industries, including manufacturing and timber.

Chair Carter emphasized the negative consequences of the PM2.5 standard, stating, "The Biden administration’s irresponsible and unnecessary PM2.5 standard is a death knell for vital US industries, including manufacturing and timber." He further highlighted the need to maintain both environmental standards and economic potential by working with industry leaders to enact practical NAAQS reforms.

Chairman Newhouse echoed these concerns, emphasizing that America already has stringent clean air standards and ranks highly in air quality globally. He argued that the new standard would hinder prosperity across the country without providing significant benefits, forcing businesses to close and increasing manufacturing costs. He called on the EPA to rescind the rule and restore prosperity to rural America.

Vice Chair Bruce Westerman emphasized the progress the US has made in improving air quality and criticized the EPA's decision to tighten the NAAQS for fine particulate matter. He argued that the new standards would be logistically impossible for critical industries to meet and would result in the loss of thousands of jobs and billions in economic activity.

The lawmakers were joined by 108 members of the House of Representatives in signing a letter urging the EPA to rescind the job-killing rule. The letter includes representatives from various states, including Washington, Arkansas, Georgia, Oklahoma, Arizona, Florida, Wyoming, Texas, Colorado, West Virginia, and more.

The lawmakers' concerns focus on the potential negative impact of these air quality standards on industries and communities across the country. They believe that the current standards are already stringent enough and that the new PM2.5 standard would burden businesses, increase costs, and result in significant job losses.

The EPA's decision to tighten the NAAQS for fine particulate matter has sparked a strong reaction from these lawmakers, who are determined to protect the interests of their constituents and support practical reforms that balance environmental concerns with economic growth.

The full text of the letter can be found here.