This week the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued its finding under the Clean Air Act that greenhouse gas emissions endanger the environment and public health.
The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) believes the Clean Air Act is the wrong tool to regulate a global problem like climate change. The Clean Air Act is an inflexible approach to regulating greenhouse gases and won’t help either the environment or the economy.
The U.S. should adopt climate change policies that strengthen the competitiveness of the U.S. economy and the forest products industry. U.S. climate change policies should recognize the principle of carbon neutrality of biomass combustion and the contributions of working forests and forest products to sequester carbon and reduce greenhouse gases. Our industry produces products from renewable and recyclable raw materials, is the largest producer and user of renewable energy, and is committed to sustaining the environment that is essential to our future success.
“The Clean Air Act is not the right vehicle for regulating greenhouse gases. Piecemeal regulations will harm efforts to reduce greenhouse gases and could discourage investment in new technology that is needed for a lower carbon economy,” said AF&PA President and CEO Donna Harman. “Making CO2 an official air pollutant will trigger a cascade of regulatory programs that will stifle good energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. Legislation that preserves U.S. competitiveness is a far better way to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.”
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The American Forest & Paper Association is the national trade association of the forest products industry, representing pulp, paper, and wood products manufacturers, and forest landowners. AF&PA member companies make essential products from renewable and recyclable resources that sustain the environment. The forest products industry employs 1 million workers and generates 6 percent of the total U.S. manufacturing GDP. Visit AF&PA online at www.afandpa.org.
