On March 14, PCA’s Government Affairs staff participated in a meeting with the U.S. EPA and emphasized the need for EPA to provide transparency and allow stakeholder input through the development of its plan for conducting retrospective reviews of existing significant regulations. The effort by EPA is in response to President Obama’s Executive Order (EO) 13563 issued in January to identify regulations that are not necessary or are unworkable. The purpose of the hearing is to make the regulatory program more effective or less burdensome in achieving regulatory objectives.

PCA has supported the President’s intent to impose reasonable regulation that will not limit economic growth and will create new jobs as well as preserve those that are at risk. Current EPA regulations could result in the direct loss of 3,000 to 4,000 jobs in the cement industry and potentially another 12,000 to 19,000 direct jobs in the construction industry due to higher construction costs. These direct job losses could be amplified if upstream and downstream indirect impacts are considered. In total, more than 80,000 jobs could be lost due to EPA regulations.

“The cement industry, like several other manufacturing sectors, is facing regulations that will cost several billion dollars and push manufacturing  off shore, causing the U.S. to lose a commodity that is indispensable to our country’s recovery,” Brian McCarthy, PCA president and CEO, said in a statement issued in January. “We welcome the opportunity to work with the Obama administration to ensure that regulations are based on science, preserve access to a strategic infrastructure asset and most importantly, protect the sanctity of U.S. jobs. Without taking these elements into consideration, the administration is doing our nation a disservice.”