President & CEO Maisch Chicago Tribune Op-ed: It’s time to take thoughtful action that won’t worsen our nation’s energy crisis
On Monday, an op-ed written by Chamber President & CEO Todd Maisch was published in the Chicago Tribune. Speaking on the nation's ongoing energy struggles, Maisch says the time for action is now.
In part, the op-ed is provided below:
In the United States, our energy prices and the energy security of our nation have taken hit after hit, starting with the cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline — designed to move Canadian crude oil to the U.S. — to the halting of the program that provides new leases for oil and gas companies to drill on federal lands.
It’s politically driven decisions like these that have played a crucial role in creating the current conditions that are forcing Americans to shell out more on energy prices.
Now, an untimely and unnecessary regulatory review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for particulate matter has the potential to continue to stoke the flames of our energy security and inflation challenges.
The Environmental Protection Agency is undertaking a review of the NAAQS, looking to tighten the thresholds communities are required to meet to be compliant with these standards. By tightening these standards, it could put at risk hundreds of communities throughout the country being designated as nonattainment zones, limiting business growth and requiring local municipalities and businesses to invest financial resources to meet these standards.
Illinois communities that house leading employers and manufacturers could soon be forced to restructure their operations, at a time when we can least afford it.
It’s politically driven decisions like these that have played a crucial role in creating the current conditions that are forcing Americans to shell out more on energy prices.
Now, an untimely and unnecessary regulatory review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for particulate matter has the potential to continue to stoke the flames of our energy security and inflation challenges.
The Environmental Protection Agency is undertaking a review of the NAAQS, looking to tighten the thresholds communities are required to meet to be compliant with these standards. By tightening these standards, it could put at risk hundreds of communities throughout the country being designated as nonattainment zones, limiting business growth and requiring local municipalities and businesses to invest financial resources to meet these standards.
Illinois communities that house leading employers and manufacturers could soon be forced to restructure their operations, at a time when we can least afford it.
Read the entire article here.
