WASHINGTON ALERT


Stephanie Salmon, Artemis Strategies; Jeff Hannapel and Christian Richter, The Policy Group, Washington, D.C.


Obama Backs off Emissions Legislation On the Hill Regulation efforts on greenhouse gases shift to EPA.


F


ollowing the results of the mid-term elections, President Obama announced his ad- ministration would abandon efforts in Congress to pass


cap-and-trade legislation to control greenhouse gas emissions. The presi- dent indicated he will look for ways to control global warming pollution other than having Congress place a ceiling on it.


“Cap-and-trade was just one way


of skinning the cat; it was not the only way,” Obama said at a news conference after the elections. “I’m going to be looking for other means to ad- dress this problem.” While this is a positive develop- ment for the met- alcasting industry, the greenhouse gas regulatory battle- ground has been shifted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which already has promulgated regu- lations and policies to control the emissions. Given the significant Republican


air quality standards for ozone by the end of the year, according to a Nov. 1 court filing (Mississippi v. EPA). Industry groups have been lobbying


EPA intends to issue more protective air quality standards for ozone by the end of the year.


EPA and Congress for a less stringent rule or to postpone its issuance. EPA set both the primary and secondary standards at 0.075 ppm in 2008, a level less stringent than recommended by the agency’s science advisers. The Obama Administration stayed implementation of the standards after it proposed a more stringent health- based standard of 0.060-0.070 ppm. To protect crops and forests, EPA also proposed set- ting a secondary seasonal standard within a range of 7-15 ppm-hours (the weighted, cu- mulative exposure to ozone during daylight hours over a three-month


growing season). The Manufacturers Alliance, an


gains in the U.S. House of Represen- tatives, the metalcasting industry can expect greater scrutiny of the adminis- tration’s energy policy by House com- mittees, starting with EPA’s greenhouse gas reduction agenda. Opponents wonder why it has not taken into ac- count potential job losses as a result of EPA’s climate change and green energy regulatory initiatives. In conjunction with congressional oversight activity, the House likely will attempt to use the annual appro- priations process to potentially remove funds or restrict executive branch agen- cies from using appropriated funds for climate-related policy initiatives. This may include greenhouse gas emissions and increased fuel-economy standards for all vehicles. EPA intends to issue more protective


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industry trade group that includes Caterpillar Inc., Procter & Gamble Co., Johnson & Johnson, Honeywell and other manufacturers, argued in a September report that complying with a more stringent ozone standard could cost regulated industries more than $1 trillion per year between 2020 and 2030 and eliminate 7.3 million jobs. Seven senators signed a letter to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson late this sum- mer opposing the proposal to set more stringent ozone standards, citing a lack of new research into the health effects of the pollutant. Revising the standards would require industrial facilities to install pollution controls and could lead to increased energy costs and job losses, according to the letter, which was signed by Sens. George Voinovich (R-Ohio), Evan Bayh (D-Ind.), Richard Lugar (R-Ind.), Mary Landrieu (D-La.), David Vitter (R-La.), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) and Kit Bond (R-Mo.).


MC


Walking-Working Surfaces Rule to Be Revised The U.S. Occupational Safety and


Health Administration (OSHA) will hold an informal public hearing on Jan. 18, 2011, on the agency’s proposed rule revising the walking-working surfaces and personal protective equipment standards to improve worker protection from slip, trip and fall hazards. OSHA expects to finalize the rule in 2011. If implemented, the proposed


changes to the regulations would apply to all walking-working surfaces at all general industry workplaces, includ- ing metalcasting facilities. Proposed revisions include specific criteria for personal fall protection equipment consistent with industry voluntary con- sensus standards, harmonizing provi- sions with other OSHA provisions, and use of performance-oriented, rather than specification-oriented, language. The standards revise or establish


the general requirements for walking- working surfaces, as well as ladders, step bolts, manhole steps, stairways and scaf- folds. The proposal also would require fall protection and establish criteria and practices for fall protection systems. MC A copy of OSHA’s proposal can be viewed at edocket.access.gpo. gov/2010/2010-10418.htm.


Commission Issues U.S.-China Economic Report In November, the U.S.-China Eco-


nomic and Security Review Commis- sion issued its 2010 Annual Report to Congress. In it, the bipartisan commission describes its view of the status of the U.S.-China bilateral trade and economic relationship, identifies related developments and their impact on U.S. national security interests and makes recommendations to Congress to address specific areas of concern. Of interest to the metalcasting in-


dustry, the report said the government should provide more incentives to pro- mote research and manufacturing in the U.S., as well as reduce or eliminate the number of foreign vendors who receive government funds to work on sensitive systems.


MC


A copy of the 2010 Annual Report is posted at www.uscc.gov/index.php.


MODERN CASTING / December 2010


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