Chambers of Commerce discuss EPA’s proposed ozone standards in Ohio

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Black Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) and the Ohio Black Chamber of Commerce hosted a forum on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed ozone standards for the central Ohio community and business leaders on Monday.

"Ohio leaders in government and business should have the chance to meet the existing ozone standards before the EPA mandates unnecessary and unattainable levels,” William Kovacs, senior vice president of Environment, Technology & Regulatory Affairs for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said. “Existing national efforts to reduce emissions are an environmental and business success story."

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said the new ground-level regulations stand to cost Ohio 23,000 jobs annually and $840 million in compliance costs.

“Now is not the time for the EPA to move the goal posts by piling on more burdensome environmental regulations,” Ohio State Black Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Rafeal Underwood said. “Our communities need policies that encourage job growth and investment to ensure a full economic recovery."

The chambers of commerce representatives cited concerns about small businesses and an already less-than- ideal economic marketplace, saying that the EPA’s new rules would only exacerbate current issues.

“Unfortunately, the EPA's proposed ozone rule would only slow down the economic recovery even further,” NBCC President and CEO Harry C. Alford said. “We cannot expect small and minority-owned businesses to continue shouldering costly regulatory burdens and still prove resilient.”