ACC - American Chemistry Council
07/17/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/17/2024 09:27
ACC Leads Multi-Association Effort to Advance American Competitiveness
WASHINGTON (July 17, 2024) - The American Chemistry Council (ACC) and twelve trade associations representing diverse sectors of the economy have sent a letter to Congressional Leadership, urging support for H.J.Res.161 and S.J. Res 100, Congressional Review Act resolutions to disapprove of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) HON final rule.
Chris Jahn, President & CEO | American Chemistry CouncilACC and our members are committed to helping protect our employees and communities while continuing to provide the innovative products and materials made possible by chemistry. While we appreciate some of the changes EPA made to the final rule, the Agency still used its discretion to ignore costs and relies on severely flawed science and outdated facility emissions data. The resulting requirements could jeopardize access to critical chemistries needed for our national priorities, including healthcare access, electric vehicles, and semiconductors. We urge Congress to pass this bicameral resolution and look forward to continuing to engage with EPA to develop science-based regulations that support American competitiveness.
The EPA's rule, "New Source Performance Standards for the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry and National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry and Group I & II Polymers and Resins Industry" (the HON rulemaking), targets over 200 chemical plants and could limit manufacture of critical chemistries, including ethylene oxide.
Ethylene oxide is one of the most important raw materials used in large-scale chemical production. It plays an integral role in a wide variety of applications across the agriculture, semiconductor, construction, healthcare, cleaning, transportation, and oil and gas sectors.
In EPA's final rulemaking, the Agency chooses to apply a deeply flawed toxicity value for ethylene oxide derived from the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). This IRIS value defies reason-it is 23,000 times lower than naturally occurring levels found in the human body. As a result, some of the new restrictions threaten to affect the production of chemistries that are needed for countless everyday products and are used in key industries, including agriculture, healthcare, semiconductors, and electric batteries.
American Chemistry Council
The American Chemistry Council's mission is to advocate for the people, policy, and products of chemistry that make the United States the global leader in innovation and manufacturing. To achieve this, we: Champion science-based policy solutions across all levels of government; Drive continuous performance improvement to protect employees and communities through Responsible Care®; Foster the development of sustainability practices throughout ACC member companies; and Communicate authentically with communities about challenges and solutions for a safer, healthier and more sustainable way of life. Our vision is a world made better by chemistry, where people live happier, healthier, and more prosperous lives, safely and sustainably-for generations to come.
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