Stephanie Salmon, AFS Washington Office; Jeff Hannapel & Christian Richter, The Policy Group, Washington, D.C.
WASHINGTON ALERT Final Ozone Rule to Implement 2008 Standards
THE RULE WILL ADDRESS STATE REQUIREMENTS TO ACHIEVE OZONE STANDARD OF 75 PPB. Te White House Office of
Management and Budget announced February 2 that it has completed its review of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) draft rule on the implementation of the 2008 national ambient air quality standards for ozone of 75 parts per billion (ppb). Te agency cleared the final rule January 30, 2015. Te rule is expected to address requirements for states, including requirements for new source review permitting in nonattainment areas and demonstrating attainment. Te implementation rule should be finalized by March 1. Industry advocates question the
level of new burdens this EPA ozone proposal would put on metalcast- ing facilities. One key concern is that manufacturers in non-attainment areas won’t be able to expand without other
ON THE HILL
EPA to Hold Public Meeting on Lead in Drinking Water
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Water staff recently announced it plans to hold a public hearing/webinar in April in Washington, D.C., on the Reduc- tion of Lead in Drinking Water Act. Congress enacted the act in 2011 to amend Section 1417 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) and required that the wetted surface of lead pipes, fixtures and plumbing fit- tings and fixtures sold for or installed in potable water applications not contain more than 0.25% lead by weight. The act went into effect on January 4, 2014. The agency only issued a Guidance Document in advance of the implementation date of the new law. EPA is now in the early stages of developing a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to codify the requirements of the Act. Metalcasters interested in participat- ing in the hearing/webinar should contact Stephanie Salmon, AFS
Washington Office, at ssalmon@afsinc. org. A formal announcement on the meeting has not been released.
House Approves Bill to Modernize Federal Rulemaking Process
Legislation designed to reform the government’s process for analyzing and formulating new regulations and guidance documents passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 250-175 in January.
Specifically, the measure, the Regulatory Accountability Act (H.R. 185), would require the most costly rules to undergo more stringent agency analysis, increase public participation in shaping the most costly regulations before they are proposed, and require that agencies choose the least costly option, unless they can demonstrate that public health, safety or welfare requires a more costly requirement. AFS signed onto a coalition letter to the entire House of Representatives endorsing the measure along with more than 165 business organizations.
The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.
R&D Tax Credit Bill Moving Through House
On February 12, the House Ways and Means Committee passed a bill to ret- roactively extend and make permanent the research and development (R&D) tax credit to December 31, 2014, when the credit expired. The measure, American Research and Competitiveness Act of 2015 (H.R. 880), was approved in com- mittee by a party-line vote of 23-12. The bill also would strengthen the credit by increasing the easier-to-use alternative simplified credit from 14% to 20%, as well as allow small businesses to claim the credit against tax and AMT liability. The measure has drawn a veto threat from President Obama because making the research tax credit permanent would add $182 billion to the budget deficit over the next decade.
For additional information, contact Stephanie Salmon, AFS Washington Off ice,
202/842-4864,
ssalmon@afsinc.org. March 2015 MODERN CASTING | 27
businesses in the area reducing emis- sions or shutting down operations. AFS is participating in a coalition
led by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) addressing this issue.
Image by Jacktmr |
Dreamstime.com - Blue Sky Photo
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