PCA applauds the “Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011”.

The Portland Cement Association (PCA) has applauded the introduction of legislation to bar the use of the Clean Air Act in the regulation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Sen. James Inhofe, and Reps. Frank Upton, Nick Rahall and Colin Peterson have introduced the “Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011”. The bill would prevent the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from imposing backdoor legislation in the form of more federal rules.

The Inhofe-Upton bill leaves all of the essential provisions of the Clean Air Act intact.

“Congress has already rejected cap-and-trade legislation. Imposing federal rules that achieve no tangible environmental benefit, such as EPA’s limits on GHG emissions from large industrial plants, will only hinder our sector’s recovery from the steepest economic downturn since the 1930s,” stated Brian McCarthy, president and CEO of the PCA.

A statement released on the PCA’s website claims that cement manufacturers have lost 4000 high wage jobs - 25% of its workforce—in recent years because of harsh economic conditions.  Normally the industry directly provides 15 000 Americans with high-wage jobs, and when combined with allied industries, accounts for nearly US$27.5 billion of the gross domestic product (GDP).

“We look forward to continuing to work with [Senator Inhofe and Chairman Upton] to craft federal policies that will stimulate job growth while achieving real environmental benefits,” McCarthy stated.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/the-americas/04032011/the_pca_has_applauded_the_introduction_of_the_energy_tax_prevention_act_of_2011/