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VIDEO: Herrera Beutler takes to Floor of Congress to Protect Southwest Washington Jobs

“With this legislation we can protect our environment, and protect American jobs”

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Washington, October 6, 2011 | comments
Today Jaime Herrera Beutler went to the floor of Congress to fight for a no-cost jobs bill that would protect thousands of Southwest Washington jobs.
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Today Jaime Herrera Beutler went to the floor of Congress to fight for a no-cost jobs bill that would protect thousands of Southwest Washington jobs.  Below is an excerpt of her comments in support of the “EPA Regulatory Relief Act of 2011” – a jobs bill she cosponsored:

"Those who produce pulp and paper would be laid off by this onerous Boiler MACT rule as it’s written.  Those are blue collar families, those are family wage jobs.  They’re the ones that would pay the price for this if we do not act now to protect the environment where jobs can grow.”

A final vote on this pro-jobs legislation is not expected until Tuesday, October 11.




Background: In March of this year, the EPA published rules that would set new standards for the boilers used by tens of thousands of manufacturers, businesses, processers and other employers.  The EPA requested 15 months to rewrite the rules after hearing more than 4,800 public comments – but a federal court ruled that the regulations had to be issued in 30 days.  The EPA has put the rules on a temporary hold.

Jaime has cosponsored this jobs bill that would give the EPA an additional 15 months to revise the rule and make its standards more achievable, and an additional 5 years for businesses to comply.  This job-saving measure is consistent with President Obama’s January 18th Executive Order to review and improve federal regulations that hurt the economy.

By the numbers:

20,500 jobs potentially lost by the primary pulp and paper industry, or 18% of its workforce (source: American Forest and Paper Association)

At least $5.8 billion in compliance costs to employers (source: EPA), possibly as high as $14.3 billion (source: Council of Industrial Boiler Owners)

230,000 total jobs at risk at regulated facilities, their suppliers, and broader effects of the loss of direct and indirect spending (source: Council of Industrial Boiler Owners)

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