The Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce expressed it support of the proposed EPA Transport Rule at a recent regional EPA meeting. Included under the Clean Air Act, which prohibits states from significantly contributing to the air quality problems of another state, the EPA Transport rule would mandate stricter controls for air pollution that causes health and environmental problems for surrounding regions.
As a downwind state, Pennsylvania suffers from additional pollution generated from upwind states. The EPA Transport Rule would have a significant and positive impact on public health, economic development and infrastructure needs within our region. Currently, Greater Philadelphia’s economic development is being affected by an increased cost of compliance through more stringent permitting requirements, higher costs on motor fuels and the jeopardy placed on federal highway funds. Essentially, Pennsylvania and other downwind states are paying a pollution tax for the emissions generated by polluters in distant states.
We are aware that the cost of compliance becomes a major issue for businesses when seeking to address environmental issues. That is why we have always stated that any legislation or regulation must balance the needs of the environment and the economy. In this case, EPA estimates that the annual cost of compliance will be about $2.8 billion in 2014 while annual benefits, which would be health related and could result in less lost time and increased productivity for businesses of all types, will range between $120 and $290 billion in that same timeframe. In short, the EPA preferred option seems to make sense across the board for our region.
