AF&PA Applauds Overdue EPA Regulatory Reconsiderations

Actions to revise burdensome regulations are necessary to promoting U.S. manufacturing and jobs

March 13, 2025 - The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) President and CEO Heidi Brock today issued the following statement in response to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin announcing actions reconsidering or ending various regulations that present growing challenges to U.S. pulp, paper and wood products manufacturers:

"AF&PA has long communicated the need to dramatically improve the regulatory process to better serve the public interest, create jobs and strengthen the competitiveness of U.S. pulp, paper and wood products manufacturers. Today's regulatory action recognizes that our mostly rural manufacturing facilities play a fundamental role in America's economic success and must not be stymied by poorly designed regulations."

In particular, AF&PA notes significant progress on the following:

• Reconsideration of Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards, which has created permitting gridlock across the country (PM 2.5 NAAQS)
• Ending the "Good Neighbor Plan," which inappropriately included our industry as we did not meet the statutory criteria
• Reconsideration of multiple National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for manufacturing sectors (NESHAPs), which will avoid unachievable rules with significant costs and limited benefits

"We deeply appreciate the Administration recognizing that the complexity and volume of these regulations failed to balance costs and benefits, disregarded the best available science, and posed significant challenges for our industry. We stand ready to work with Administrator Zeldin to enact policies that follow the best reading of the law and allow our industry to continue as an American manufacturing success story."

About AF&PA

The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) serves to advance U.S. paper and wood products manufacturers through fact-based public policy and marketplace advocacy. The forest products industry is circular by nature. AF&PA member companies make essential products from renewable and recycle resources, generate renewable bioenergy and are committed to continuous improvement through the industry's sustainability initiative — Better Practices, Better Planet 2030: Sustainable Products for a Sustainable Future.

The forest products industry accounts for approximately 5% of the total U.S. manufacturing GDP, manufactures about $350 billion in products annually and employs about 925,000 people. The industry meets a payroll of about $65 billion annually and is among the top 10 manufacturing sector employers in 43 states.

SOURCE: AF&PA