Manufacturers group airs ad against EPA plan for new ozone standards

The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) released a new TV spot that purports to show that the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed changes to National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ozone are so severe, some national parks would not pass muster under them.

“The president still has time to do the right thing for America’s job creators and workers, and he can start by giving local communities the time and space they need to implement the current, and still relatively new, standard,” NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons said. “Unfortunately, the new proposed ozone standard is so over the top, even places with no industrial activity for miles around will be considered noncompliant.”

The multimillion-dollar campaign is intended to highlight the potential consequences for U.S. manufacturers if these standards are enacted. The spot will run predominately in Washington, D.C., though it will be shown in other key states as well, and will be shown online.

“There is a reason that hundreds of local and state officials and leaders from both parties and from across the country have stood up and spoken out on this critical issue,” Timmons said. “As their voices continue to amplify, it’s a message that the president and the EPA won’t be able to ignore.”