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The Chairman of the United States House of Representatives Committee on Small Business (“Committee”) sent a February 14th letter to United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) Administrator Michael S. Reagan addressing certain current and proposed rules promulgated by the agency.
The letter argues that since 2021 EPA has promulgated rules estimated to have cost the United States economy over $249.7 billion.
The Committee letter focuses on its concern about the impact on United States small businesses and their operations.
The rules addressed in the February 14th letter to EPA include:
- National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Commercial Ethylene Oxide (EtO) Sterilization Technology Review (expressing concern that the proposed rule would effectively ban the use of EtO which is described as an essential chemical used throughout industries in the United States [including sterilization of medical equipment])
- Methane (arguing that oil and gas companies already have an incentive to address leaks and the rule would mandate capturing excess methane that is currently being released or flared)
- PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation Rulemaking (expresses concern over whether the rule would improve health outcomes and is estimated to cost water systems approximately $40 billion)
- Reconsideration of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter (PM2.5)(concern expressed that the proposed rule would heavily impact industries that heat or burn raw materials in mining operations, making the permitting process more difficult and leading to increased outsourcing)
- Clean Power Plant Rule (arguing that the process of integrating carbon capture or hydrogen technologies would be costly for manufacturers with estimates ranging from $10-$14 billion across the industries)
The February 14th letter therefore requests the Administrator to do the following:
- Provide the estimated number of small businesses that will be impacted by each of these rules.
- Provide the estimated additional compliance costs on small businesses that are associated with each of these new rules.
- Provide location where small businesses can go to examine your analysis of the impact these rules will have on their operations.
- Provide a list of all alternatives that have been considered to lessen the impact on small businesses for each of these rules.
A copy of the February 14th letter can be downloaded here.
