The EPA is at again. As part of a sue-and-settle deal with environmental pressure groups such as the Sierra Club, EPA has proposed stringent new ozone standards that will by all accounts be the most expensive regulation in U.S. history.

Thanks to technology and common sense controls, emissions that form ozone, or "smog," have declined by 50% since 1980-while our economy has grown significantly. But now EPA has proposed an ozone level so stringent that the majority of the U.S. is likely to be in violation...even pristine national parks such as Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon:

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So what will EPA's rules mean for our economy? A detailed new analysis by the National Association of Manufacturers found that EPA's proposed ozone rule would:
Reduce GDP by $140 billion annually
Eliminate 1.4 million jobs
Force compliance costs in excess of $1 trillion from 2017-2040

Even worse:
Ozone standards at the levels considered in EPA's proposal would push much of the country into "nonattainment" - where local communities face enormous burdens to commercial and industrial activity not only vital to creating jobs, but also to providing tax revenue that support important local services like public safety and education.

If finalized, EPA's proposed stringent ozone standards could limit business expansion in nearly every populated region of the United States and impairs the ability of U.S. companies to create new jobs. Click here to see how your state or locality will be affected.
Economic development lost to ozone nonattainment reduces local tax revenues vital to funding municipal services like fire, police, and education.

Federal highway funding in a nonattainment area may be delayed indefinitely until the State can identify and commit to expensive offsets or demonstrate that supported projects will not increase ozone.

The air is getting cleaner, and current ozone standards need an opportunity to work. We need your help to call attention to the massive economic threats and reduction in funding for crucial civic services posed by this rule.

EPA is accepting public comments on its proposed ozone regulations until March 17. For additional background information and sample comment language, please visit www.USChamber.com/ozone.
Sincerely,

Dan Byers
Senior Director for Policy
Institute for 21st Century Energy
U.S. Chamber of Commerce