Keith McCoy, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) vice president for energy and resources policy, issued this statement May 4 following the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) announcement of its proposed rulemaking to address coal combustion residuals, otherwise known as coal ash:

“Today’s action on coal ash presents two options the EPA will consider in a final rule. While manufacturers are encouraged that EPA will accept arguments that coal ash should be regulated under less stringent ‘solid waste’ rules, the NAM is concerned that EPA raises the strong possibility that electricity generators and other coal burners that handle coal ash will fall under stricter ‘hazardous waste’ requirements. With a limited number of facilities certified to handle ‘hazardous waste,’ this option could impose costly transportation requirements to ship coal ash across the country to one of the certified facilities. A ‘hazardous waste’ classification also raises the specter of lawsuits that could create uncertainty and place companies at a competitive disadvantage.

“Furthermore, EPA continues to pile proposed and final rules on the manufacturing sector. Today’s action is the second rulemaking in a week that impacts manufacturers. On Friday, EPA proposed stricter standards on emissions from industrial boilers, and EPA is likely to issue its so-called ‘tailoring rule’ – which will regulate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from some industrial facilities – during the next few days. Cumulatively, EPA’s regulatory agenda will subject manufacturers to an avalanche of new permitting requirements and stifle job creation. More regulation will only hinder manufacturers’ ability to continue to lead the nation out of the steepest recession since the 1930s and create jobs.

“In a global economy, it is vital that American manufacturers not be subject to unnecessary burdens that will hinder their ability to compete with manufacturers in other countries. We remain critically concerned that EPA’s recent regulatory actions don’t meet that test.”                               

The National Association of Manufacturers is the nation’s largest industrial trade association, 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, visit www.nam.org.