SMA President Philip K. Bell issued the following statement today:

“President Trump has vowed to bring back manufacturing and that is exactly what he is doing. Administrator Zeldin’s bold actions today demonstrate that EPA will be returning to their core mission of common-sense regulations that protect our air, our water, and our economy.

“Steel manufacturing in the United States is the cleanest in the world, yet our members are facing one of the heaviest regulatory burdens globally, which dramatically affects our competitiveness. In recent years, EPA has finalized several regulations that require manufacturers to achieve the implausible or impossible. For instance, last year the Biden administration ignored strong warnings that their proposed particulate matter (PM2.5) regulation would have a chilling effect on economic growth.

“EPA’s early reconsideration of PM2.5 replaced a standard that was already amongst the most stringent globally with a rule that closely approaches naturally occurring background levels. Much-needed new manufacturing facilities that would have been permitted under the previous, protective standard will have difficulty receiving permits under the new standard.

“As President Trump continues to prioritize domestic manufacturing, the need for regulatory certainty is clear. Administrator Zeldin has put EPA on a path to create a lasting PM2.5 standard that will continue to protect human health but will also allow our economy to grow and manufacturers to continue to create good-paying jobs.

“We look forward to working with Administrator Zeldin and his team on the reconsideration of PM2.5 and more and thank him for fighting for manufacturing in America.”