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How to Keep EPA from Stopping Future Construction

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is considering action that could halt the future construction and the major renovations of buildings nationwide, and could also jeopardize funding for highway and transportation projects. AGC requests that members and chapters send comment letters against this new EPA action. EPA is seeking public input on regulating greenhouse gas emissions from buildings and construction equipment. AGC and many other industry groups are mobilizing members and chapters to stop EPA. We can only do this by sending as many individual comments as possible in response to EPA’s Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) on using the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. Members can submit customized comments easily and almost effortlessly using a template comment letter on the AGC web site. Comments must be customized to count. Click here to submit your customized comments today! EPA MUST RECEIVE COMMENTS BY NOVEMBER 28, 2008. Primary Concerns AGC’s primary concern is that using the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gas emissions could halt building construction and jeopardize funding for highway and transportation projects.  Once EPA controls a greenhouse gas under almost any section of the Act, most buildings in the U.S. that emit that “pollutant” would become subject to costly and time-consuming permitting and construction requirements under EPA’s Prevention of Significant Deterioration program. Another section of the Act would require EPA to develop standards for greenhouse gas emissions that states would need to incorporate into their implementation plans. Penalties for noncompliance include the loss of funding for future highway projects. AGC also is concerned with several proposed new requirements regarding fuel use and types, manufacturing of new equipment, and operating of equipment. Background Information AGC previously reported that the EPA planned to issue an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) to “discuss and solicit public input” on how to use the Clean Air Act to control greenhouse gas emissions.  To read the full AGC article, which provides a background on the EPA’s decision to issue an ANPR and some of the potential impacts, go to http://newsmanager.commpartners.com/agcenv/issues/2008-06-25/.  This summer, EPA released a lengthy ANPR with public comment due by November 28, 2008.  The EPA web page for the ANPR is located at http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/anpr.html.