OHIO STEEL INDUSTRY ADVISORY COUNCIL RESOLUTION REGARDING U.S. EPA’S PROPOSED STRICTER OZONE LIMITS
Passed June 8, 2010
WHEREAS, Ohio is a leader in steel production and processing, ranked second among states in the Annual Survey of Manufacturers, with 242 steel manufacturing and processing establishments and an average annual economic impact of $7.5 billion; WHEREAS, Ohio steel producing and processing facilities directly employ 22,000 Ohioans and generate additional jobs in other industries estimated at more than 50,000; WHEREAS, the U.S. steel industry has reduced its energy intensity per ton of steel produced by 33 percent since 1990; WHEREAS, the U.S. steel industry reduced emissions by 67 percent over 10 years (between 1995 and 2006) according to the U.S. EPA; WHEREAS, the economic downturn has resulted in the worst global market conditions for steel in 70 years and most Ohio mills are still operating at less than 50 percent; WHEREAS,the economic downturn has undermined Ohio’s economy, which is based in large part on manufacturing, resulting in an unemployment rate of 10.7 percent; WHEREAS, the U.S. EPA is proposing to lower the permitted level for ground-level ozone from 75 parts per billion (ppb) to 60 ppb to 70 ppb; WHEREAS, currently 322 counties nationwide fail to comply with current federal ozone standards (including 29 in Ohio), and about double that number of counties nationwide will fail to comply if the EPA’s new ozone standard goes into effect in August 2010, as planned; WHEREAS,the new ozone standard will be very costly to Ohio governments, Ohio manufacturers and other businesses, and will severely limit options for plant expansions in nonattainment zones; and the U.S. EPA estimates the cost of compliance nationwide at $19 billion to $90 billion annually; WHEREAS, the economies of Ohio and the U.S. do not need further setbacks during these challenging economic times, and the proposed ozone standard could cause job losses and discourage business investment; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Ohio Steel Industry Advisory Council calls upon members of the Ohio General Assembly, as well as the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate: • To alert the Obama administration to the huge economic costs associated with the EPA proposal to lower the permitted level of ground level ozone to between 60 ppb and 70 ppb; • To discourage the Obama administration from implementing the EPA proposal during these challenging economic times; and • To research and explore sources of public funding to assist industry and governments in meeting the EPA’s proposed ozone standard if and when it is implemented.
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