Revealing a concerning disregard for American jobs, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Biden administration has finalized a new air quality rule that poses a significant risk to the manufacturing industry, potentially jeopardizing up to 1 million jobs.
Jay Timmons, President and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), intends to address these alarming developments in his forthcoming annual State of Manufacturing address.
Timmons has emphasized that while President Biden may tout manufacturing victories in his State of the Union speech, there are underlying actions by his administration that paint a different picture:
“But what he won’t tell you is that his federal agencies are, at this very moment, working to undermine his manufacturing legacy – those agencies are undermining your success. In fact, just two weeks ago, they announced one big regulation that could wipe out up to 1 million jobs. It’s referred to as National Ambient Air Quality Standards or PM2.5.”
Moreover, Timmons highlighted that the PM2.5 regulation is more stringent than environmental policies in Europe, potentially hindering the establishment of new manufacturing facilities across various parts of the United States.
The aim of PM2.5 is to reduce fine particle pollution, which the EPA claims can adversely affect Americans’ health.
Timmons has further cautioned that this new rule would disproportionately impact Michigan, not only affecting manufacturing but also the state’s overall economy. He stated that the regulation “affects the family trying to sell their home, the teacher hoping for new investments in schools, the students looking for job opportunities here in the state.”
Additionally, Timmons underscored that regulations like PM2.5 could lead to immigration challenges, trade disruptions, potential tax hikes, and global security implications.
“That is why I can report that the state of manufacturing in America today remains strong and resilient but under threat,” Timmons concluded.
