Washington, DC – On April 17, The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its proposed “endangerment finding” that would trigger regulation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions under the Clean Air Act (CAA) and pre-empt congressional debate on this very important issue.

According to the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), this move by the EPA takes our country in the wrong direction and sets a dangerous precedent for a regulatory agency to bypass Congress and the legislative process. At a time when our economy is in a severe recession, this proposed regulation would cost jobs and delay our country’s recovery. The EPA is attempting to use the Clean Air Act as a blunt instrument to regulate carbon, something it was never intended to do. This is a power grab by the EPA that would impact every utility, every company and every person in America.

Complex regulatory issues such as this deserve transparency and rigorous debate through the legislative process — not through the EPA. The EPA’s finding is subject to a 60-day comment period, which started on April 24, 2009. Help NAM protect American jobs by signing the letter at www.nam.org/epa. Every signature counts.

Submitted by NAM May 1