U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies, today questioned Environment Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa Jackson about the agency's proposed boiler MACT rules, which could have a very negative impact on Maine's forest products industry. Senator Collins has strongly urged the agency to develop a final rule that would protect the environment and public health while also protecting jobs in the pulp and paper industry.
The EPA in February released a revised boiler Maximum Achievable Control Technology rule, following concerns expressed by Senator Collins, her colleagues, and industry officials that the agency's original proposal could have a detrimental impact on small businesses, municipalities, universities, and federal facilities that use boilers and could face increased costs associated with the regulations. Unfortunately, the rules do not go far enough to alleviate these onerous costs. The American Forest & Paper Association estimates that the final rule could lead to thousands of additional job losses in the forest products industry and its related supply chains.
"I find very little reassurance in EPA's claim that the cost of the final rule has been lowered by 50 percent, because lowering the costs of a regulation does not automatically equate to making it affordable for businesses," said Senator Collins during today's hearing. "In Maine, even if we assume the initial $640 million estimated cost to businesses in our state is halved, compliance will still require huge amounts of capital, which we all know is scarce in this economy."
In addition, Senator Collins expressed concerns that the EPA has approved the use of an ethanol blended gasoline, called E15, for cars manufactured since 2001. Senator Collins says this decision will put consumers at risk and has the potential to damage more than 200 million cars and small engines not approved for the use of such fuel blends, such as snowmobiles, boats, chain saws and lawnmowers.
Senator Collins and Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) introduced legislation in 2009 that would have helped ensure that new gasoline fuel mixtures introduced into the marketplace are compatible with gasoline-fueled engines already in widespread use. The Mid-Level Ethanol Blends Act would have required the EPA to examine E15's performance and report on the ability to introduce E15 fuel into the marketplace without confusing consumers or causing dangerous misfueling of engines that cannot tolerate this mixture. The Senators plan to reintroduce similar legislation in the 112th Congress to help ensure the nation's fuel supply is safe for older and non-road engines.
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