U.S. Chamber Of Commerce: Businesses In Every U.S. Metropolitan Area Will Face Higher Costs Under New EPA Ozone Standards

As Connecting the Dots reported last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently released a proposed rule that would set new air-quality standards for ground-level ozone. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce reported this week that, as written, every major metropolitan area would be in violation of this proposed rule. 

What would those violations mean? According to the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, it would increase energy production costs. The department explained, “Industrial facilities could be required to install pollution control equipment, take limits on their production, or otherwise find reductions in emissions by ‘offsetting’ in order to expand. New facilities wanting to locate in a nonattainment area will most likely be required to install pollution controls or take stringent operational limits.” 

The U.S. Chamber noted these costs would trickle down to businesses and consumers. The Chamber also said, “Businesses will have more regulations to comprehend, more forms to fill out, and more records to keep. They’ll be more occupied trying to meet the new standard instead of serving their customers, growing their businesses, and creating jobs.”