EPA Regs Will Harm PA Economic Growth

Member Group : PA Manufacturers' Assn.

EPA Regulations Will Severely Harm Pennsylvania’s Economic Growth
New Report Details the Significant Economic Impact of Questionable EPA Regulations on Pennsylvania

Harrisburg, PA — November 28, 2012 – The Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association (PMA) and the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) released a new study today by ndp|consulting, A Critical Review of the Benefits and Costs of EPA Regulations on the U.S. Economy, which examines the harmful impact of several burdensome Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations on Pennsylvania’s economy. The study finds that the annual compliance costs of the EPA’s proposed Utility MACT, Boiler MACT, and Coal Combustion Residuals regulations on Pennsylvania will be $1.5 billion.

"The regulations coming out of Washington continue to dampen growth and job creation in Pennsylvania," said PMA Executive Director David N. Taylor. "Just the implementation of the EPA’s regulations will cost our commonwealth billions of dollars and shed jobs at a time when we are faced with an 8.1% unemployment rate. Pennsylvania’s businesses are struggling to gain momentum, and these regulations are only holding us back and costing jobs." PMA and NAM are joined in their concerns by manufacturing advocates across Pennsylvania, Taylor added, including SMC Business Councils, the Manufacturer and Business Association, the Mid-Atlantic Employers Association, the Manufacturers Association of South Central Pennsylvania, the Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce, the Northeast Pennsylvania Manufacturers and Employers Association, and the Metals Service Center Institute.

The EPA’s Utility MACT, Boiler MACT and Coal Combustion Residuals regulations will have a significant impact on Pennsylvania:
• Annual compliance costs: $1.5 billion
• Annual manufacturing sector compliance costs: $651.6 million
• Total upfront capital expenditures to comply: $8.9 billion
• Total manufacturing sector upfront capital expenditures: $3.7 billion

"This study clearly illustrates the layer upon layer of regulations that are weighing down manufacturers’ ability to help lead our country’s economic recovery," said NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons. "If we don’t return to a more sensible regulatory process, then manufacturers in Pennsylvania will face even higher energy prices, skyrocketing compliance costs, less investment opportunities and significantly fewer jobs. A devastating ripple effect will be felt throughout our entire economy, causing some manufacturers to close their doors for good."

The National Association of Manufacturers is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing has a presence in every single congressional district providing good, high-paying jobs. For more information about the Manufacturers or to follow us on Shopfloor, Twitter and Facebook, please visit www.nam.org.

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