WASHINGTON -- Forty-one U.S. senators sent a letter to Lisa Jackson, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, protesting the EPA's proposed Boiler MACT rule.

The American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA) and American Wood Council (AWC)  commended the senators for expressing their about the threat to manufacturing jobs posed by the proposed maximum achievable control technology rule for industrial boilers,
commonly referred to as Boiler MACT.

“At a time when policymakers are rightly saying we need to preserve and grow manufacturing jobs, the proposed Boiler MACT rule as drafted would actually work against that objective,” said AF&PA President and CEO Donna Harman. “I want to thank Senators Alexander, Bayh, Collins, Landrieu, Voinovich and Wyden for their leadership on this effort to create a win-win for jobs and the environment.”

In their letter, the senators stated, “While we support efforts to address serious health threats from air emissions, we also believe that regulations can be crafted in a balanced way that sustains both the environment and jobs.”

Boiler MACT sets emission limits for industrial boilers and process heaters used by a wide range of manufacturers, such as forest products mills, as well as universities, hospitals, small municipal power plants, federal facilities and many others. According to AF&PA, the proposed Boiler MACT rule would set emission limits at barely detectable and possibly unachievable levels; require installation of up to four different air pollution control devices that will conflict with other control requirements; and impose costs to the forest products industry resulting in lost jobs.

The AF&PA recently commissioned a study which indicated that the MACT Rule could cause the loss of up to 17,000 jobs in the paper industry.

Click here to view complete list of senator signatories.