[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 149 (Thursday, October 6, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1802-E1803]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            EPA REGULATIONS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MIKE PENCE

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 6, 2011

  Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the legislation 
currently before the House, H.R. 2250 and H.R. 2681, which if enacted 
into law will go a long way in reining in an Environmental Protection 
Agency that seems intent on implementing regulations that will not only 
drive up energy costs for all Americans, but also drive even more of 
our jobs overseas.
  I also rise to address another threat coming from the EPA--the very 
real and serious danger facing the refrigeration industry from 
overreaching by the EPA to implement additional regulations on an 
industry that were never authorized by Congress. As many of my friends 
know, this industry is currently subject to regulations under the 
Montreal Protocol. The Montreal Protocol, originally signed by 
President Ronald Reagan in 1987, was designed to protect the ozone 
layer by regulating and phasing out ozone-depleting substances such as 
chlorofluorocarbons and hydrochlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs and HCFCs. 
Those regulations have been implemented and the industry is complying 
with them as we speak.
  Now, the EPA has indicated its intent to regulate hydrofluorocarbons, 
or HFCs. It is important to distinguish that HFCs are not ozone 
depleting substances that would make them subject to the Montreal 
Protocol, but rather greenhouse gases. The EPA does not currently have 
the authority to regulate greenhouse gases and the EPA should not be 
permitted to move forward on their intentions until Congress has given 
the EPA the express power to do so.
  Mr. Speaker, the refrigeration industry, like any other, is feeling 
the pinch in these difficult economic times. My state is fortunate 
enough to be home to one of the few remaining domestic refrigerant 
manufacturers and so I have heard first-hand what this potential 
regulatory over-reach would mean to this industry.
  I urge the House to remain vigilant on the specific issue of HFCs and 
additionally to pass both pieces of legislation before it this week. We 
must ensure that the EPA does not overstep its legal authority by 
issuing regulations on areas where Congress has not delegated its 
authority, and we must block the implementation of EPA proposed 
regulations on cement manufacturing facilities, industrial boilers, 
process heaters and incinerators, which would be terribly harmful to 
our already fragile economy, costing billions of dollars and thousands 
of jobs.
  The EPA regulations dealing with Portland cement force the industry 
to reach nearly unachievable emissions levels, and according to the 
Portland Cement Association, will eventually force the shutdown of 18 
plants and cost $3.4 billion over the next three years. American cement 
producers would be put at a significant disadvantage to their foreign 
competitors and nearly 4,000 cement manufacturing jobs will no longer 
exist because of the EPA's actions. These regulations would also result 
in increased costs of $1.2 to $2 billion to state and local governments 
for road projects.
  H.R. 2250 would target the rules finalized by the EPA dealing with 
industrial boilers, commonly known as Boiler MACT (Maximum Achievable 
Control Technology). Boiler MACT would be devastating to the people of 
Indiana. In fact, according to a study completed by HIS Global Insight, 
Indiana would be the second hardest hit state by Boiler MACT. There are 
currently 82 industrial boilers in the Hoosier state and these 
regulations would cost more than $1 billion and eliminate over 16,000 
jobs.
  In closing Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to pass these vital 
pieces of legislation and to continue to work to ensure that 
regulations from the EPA do not cost Hoosier jobs.

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