WASHINGTON – On behalf of the American Wood Council (AWC) and American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA), public policy expert Paul Noe testified today before the House Energy and Commerce Committee examining the need for legislative action to modernize U.S. air quality programs. AWC President & CEO Jackson Morrill and AF&PA President & CEO Heidi Brock issued the following joint statement after today’s Congressional hearing:
“We support the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s work to develop legislation that would greatly improve the NAAQS program and permitting process. Unfortunately, this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the regulatory challenges U.S. manufacturers face today.
“The forest products industry has a long track record of investing in the modernization of our mills to further reduce emissions. Recent rulemakings risk stopping these projects in their tracks, like the recent particulate matter standard.
“Furthermore, communities will not truly benefit until the 84% of particulate matter emissions that come from other sources –such as wildfires and road dust – are addressed.
“If we don’t change our trajectory now, we will see a net loss for our mills, our employees and the environment. It is imperative the EPA, the Administration and Congress strike a balance that achieves sustainable regulations while supporting American manufacturing.”
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