The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers expressed support for a bill US Rep. Bill Flores (R-Tex.) introduced on Nov. 16 that aims to help states and counties meet proposed 2015 federal ground level ozone limits while several are still implementing 2008 requirements.
HR 4000 essentially would double the time for state and local governments to implement federal ozone limits to 10 years from 5. Governors would have until Oct. 26, 2024, to designate areas within states as attainment, nonattainment, or unclassifiable.
“These new regulations will hurt American jobs, manufacturing, and economic growth,” Flores said on Oct. 1 when the US Environmental Protection Agency issued its proposed 2015 ozone limits. “States are already hard at work to meet the current standard, which has yet to be fully implemented.”
“EPA’s decision to move the goalposts by promulgating the new ozone [National Ambient Air Quality Standards] before the 2008 rule has been fully implemented will cause unnecessary economic burden and confusion within states and localities tasked with developing overly aggressive implementation plans,” AFPM Pres. Chet Thompson said.
“This is especially true for our industries, whose facility upgrades and investments have contributed to a 33% reduction in ozone levels since 1980,” Thompson noted.
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