House Approves Bill to Block EPA Cement Regulations

Today, the House approved H.R. 2681, the Cement Sector Regulatory Relief Act of 2011, a bill that would force the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to rewrite three new rules targeting cement makers that impose stringent emission requirements and solid waste standards on the industry. As reported last week, these rules could result in the loss of thousands of jobs in the cement industry and adversely affect the availability and cost of cement in the United States. The bill would provide additional time and guidance for EPA to issue achievable standards for cement manufacturing facilities. AGC sent a letter to the Hill on Oct. 4 in support of the legislation. For more information, contact Karen Lapsevic at 202-547-4733 or lapsevick@agc.org.