WASHINGTON (News release) - The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) President and CEO Heidi Brock has issued the following statement in response to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin announcing actions reconsidering or ending various regulations that present growing challenges to U.S. pulp, paper and wood products manufacturers:

"AF&PA has long communicated the need to dramatically improve the regulatory process to better serve the public interest, create jobs and strengthen the competitiveness of U.S. pulp, paper and wood products manufacturers. Today's regulatory action recognizes that our mostly rural manufacturing facilities play a fundamental role in America's economic success and must not be stymied by poorly designed regulations."

In particular, AF&PA notes significant progress on the following:

• Reconsideration of Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards, which has created permitting gridlock across the country (PM 2.5 NAAQS)
• Ending the "Good Neighbor Plan," which inappropriately included our industry as we did not meet the statutory criteria
• Reconsideration of multiple National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for manufacturing sectors (NESHAPs), which will avoid unachievable rules with significant costs and limited benefits

"We deeply appreciate the Administration recognizing that the complexity and volume of these regulations failed to balance costs and benefits, disregarded the best available science, and posed significant challenges for our industry. We stand ready to work with Administrator Zeldin to enact policies that follow the best reading of the law and allow our industry to continue as an American manufacturing success story."