WASHINGTON – A ranking National Association of Manufacturers official slammed the Environmental Protection Agency’s recent declaration that greenhouse gas emissions are a danger to the public health, a ruling that exposes carbon emissions to additional regulations.
 
The association says the EPA’s findings ignored broad industry response and would put undue burdens on manufacturers that would cost jobs and drive up the price of energy.
 
“NAM is concerned the EPA did not seriously take into consideration any of the thousands of comments manufacturers made on this proposal,” NAM VP of energy and resources policy Keith McCoy said. “The endangerment finding will have a cascading effect on the ability of all manufacturers to grow and prosper.”
 
NAM states that by declaring GHG emissions a threat to public health, the EPA is paving the way to regulation of carbon emissions across the board under the Clean Air Act, including manufacturing plants, hospitals and libraries.
 
NAM says it supports cost-effective efforts to address climate change, but believes Congress should be the authority on the subject.
 
McCoy is doubtful the EPA’s endangerment finding will achieve its stated goal, but believes it will come at huge costs. The US needs comprehensive environmental federal policy that will avoid economic harm, so as not to hurt American competitiveness, he says.