House Bill Would Delay Boiler Rule

The House of Representatives’ Energy & Commerce Committee voted 36-14 to approve legislation that would give EPA more time to set new emissions standards for industrial boilers and solid waste incinerators. The EPA Regulatory Relief Act of 2011 (H.R. 2250) is backed by the chemical industry but is opposed by EPA. The bill would bar the agency from issuing the boiler and incinerator rules for at least 15 months after passage of the legislation. Industry would then have five years to comply with the new standards. EPA, which currently plans to issue the regulations in late October and make them effective in April 2012, has said it does not need nor want an additional 15 months to work on the rules. The regulations will require industrial facilities to install new equipment or take other steps to sharply reduce emissions of mercury, dioxins, particulate matter, hydrogen chloride, and carbon monoxide from on-site boilers and incinerators.