U.S. Rep. Roger Williams (R-TX) has reached out to the head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) about five proposed rules that he says could harm businesses, including small businesses.
The five rules deal with:
- National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Commercial Ethylene Oxide (EtO) Sterilization Technology Review. This proposed rule would effectively ban the commercial use of Ethelyne Oxide (EtO). EtO is an essential chemical used throughout numerous industries in the U.S., most notably in the sterilization of medical equipment.
- This rule requires oil and gas companies to search for methane leaks in their facilities.
- PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation Rulemaking. This rule would require treatment of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) used in manufacturing to reduce the amount of PFAS in the water supply.
- Reconsideration of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter. This rule would require the enactment of significant controls to mitigate the emission of particulate matter 2.5 micrometers or smaller.
- Clean Power Plant Rule. This proposed rule would require power plants to implement carbon capture technology and/or integrate hydrogen into their fuel cycle.
“Since 2021, rules issued by the EPA are estimated to have cost the U.S. economy over $249.7 billion across all industries and increased paperwork hours for all businesses by nearly 6.5 million hours. The rules discussed here will have a significant impact on a substantial number of small businesses, increasing costs and regulatory burdens. While some of these rules do not directly regulate business activity, they would—individually and collectively—have a major impact on U.S. small businesses and their operations. The committee is concerned that the EPA failed to consider small entities in their rulemaking process for the following rules,” Williams wrote in a letter to EPA Administrator Michael Reagan.
Williams, the chair of the House Small Business Committee, asked Reagan to respond to a series of questions about the rules by Feb. 28.