The Portland Cement Association (PCA) has applauded the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers for their proposed rule to revise the definition of ‘Water of the United States.’
The proposal would provide certainty to both individuals and businesses in understanding their right to use private lands, as well as allowing states to carry out their longstanding role in ensuring sustainable and productive land use.
“Previously conflicting US Supreme Court rulings on the Clean Water Act left manufacturers without a clear and consistent set of criteria for when the law would impact their businesses,” said Mike Ireland, President and CEO of the PCA. “Unfortunately, the EPA’s previous attempts to clarify those criteria did little to reduce the uncertainty, while expanding the reach of the federal government. This expanded reach posed a threat to the ability of cement manufacturers to provide cement for the country’s infrastructure.
"The EPA’s new proposal balances the need to encourage economic growth with protecting the environment. We particularly appreciate the EPA’s exclusion of quarries from the definition – a common sense provision that helps to ensure that our members can meet the demand for resilient and sustainable building materials. As the federal government steps in to improve the nation’s declining infrastructure, cement manufacturers stand ready to lead in that effort.”
Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/the-americas/13122018/pca-reacts-to-epas-new-rule-on-wotus/