RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. The Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA) and a coalition of impacted industries has urged House and Senate leaders to support legislation to extend the deadline for pending industrial boiler rules to give the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) more time to address industry concerns.
The bipartisan-supported H.R. 2250 and S.1392 would order the agency to stay its proposed rules. In addition, the legislation would:
give the EPA 15 months to draft new rules
provide five years for facilities to comply
modify more onerous solid waste rules, and
set Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) limits based on the real-world operating conditions of a variety of boilers.
“AASA will continue to urge Congress and relevant regulatory agencies to work together to modify both current and proposed regulations to balance the economic impact with protection of public health,” said Steve Handschuh, president and COO of AASA.
In 2010, AASA filed comments, available here, on the original proposed rule. It was scaled back, but remains controversial due the $14 billion in compliance costs it could create for impacted industries, according to AASA.
“AASA will monitor this legislation as it moves through Congress and represent the interests of its members, the full-service automotive aftermarket suppliers,” Handschuh said.