The Biden administration is moving forward with a regulation that a leading manufacturing figure warns could eliminate up to a million manufacturing jobs.
Jay Timmons, president and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers, delivered this prediction in an advance copy of his annual state of manufacturing address, as reported by Fox Business.
Timmons asserted that despite President Biden’s professed support for manufacturers, federal agencies are currently working against this goal. “In fact, just two weeks ago, they announced one big regulation that could wipe out up to 1 million jobs. It’s referred to as National Ambient Air Quality Standards or PM2.5,” he stated.
He emphasized the significant impact of this regulation, noting that it imposes stricter air quality standards, surpassing those in Europe. Timmons highlighted concerns about the potential consequences, suggesting that in many parts of the country, it could hinder the construction of new manufacturing facilities.
The rule in question pertains to fine particle pollution, aiming to enforce a more stringent air quality standard. Timmons argued that such measures might lead manufacturers to relocate to countries with lower environmental standards, ultimately undermining the goal of clean air regulations.
“And to what end? You cannot solve the world’s environmental challenges by driving manufacturing investment away from the United States to countries with lower standards,” he emphasized.
