a capitol

This week the U.S. House of Representative is expected to consider legislation to ensure that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is not allowed to pre-emptively subject another American industry to costly and burdensome regulations until legal challenges have been resolved. ATR supports this legislation and urges all members to vote YES on the bill.

H.R. 4557, the “Blocking Regulatory Interference from Closing Kilns (BRICK) Act of 2016,” sponsored by Congressman Bill Johnson (R-Ohio) will protect the U.S. brick industry from being forced to comply with the Brick Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) air quality issued by the EPA, until judicial challenges to the rule are resolved. 

The brick industry was previously damaged by such regulations when the EPA enacted similar rules under the Brick MACT in 2003. While the 2003 rule was subsequently thrown out in court, the industry had already wasted millions in compliance costs and investments. 

H.R. 4557 would prevent such a scenario from again impacting the industry, by setting a compliance date for the final Brick MACT rule until after judicial challenges are completed and after any subsequent final rule is issued.

The common sense protections afforded under H.R. 4557 would protect this vital American industry from forced and costly compliance with a rule that may later be thrown out. ATR urges a Yes vote on the Blocking Regulatory Interference from Closing Kilns Act.   

Photo credit: Christina Castro