EPA Could Cost PA 350,000 Jobs

While cap-and-trade died last year, the nationwide regulation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission began earlier this month, via the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) new GHG permits. For clean “green” energy advocates, the EPA has become the vehicle for accomplishing their policy agenda, as the agency considers new regulations on the power sector beyond GHG emissions.

Among the many new EPA policies to watch for this year, is the revision of ozone standards, expected to be finalized by the EPA this summer.

A study by the Manufacturers Alliance/MAPI estimated EPA’s proposed revision would cost the commonwealth 351,207 jobs and over $85 billion by 2020—the fifth highest compliance costs in the nation, severely impacting Pennsylvania’s economy.

While current ozone levels presents a reasonably small public health risk, the proposed regulations could have a far greater negative impact on citizen’s health. As Marlo Lewis states:

Moreover, because people use income to enhance their health and safety, regulations that destroy jobs, lower wages, and increase the cost of consumer products can literally be lethal. Spare-no-expense, health-at-any-cost regulation ignores the obvious connection between livelihoods, living standards, and life expectancy.

You can find a list of other environmental and energy policies expected to gain momentum in 2011 here.