The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) on Nov. 8 reiterated its opposition to the EPA’s proposed rule to tighten national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for fine particulate matter (PM2.5), and voiced support for legislation to prohibit EPA from altering the standard at this time.
“TFI and the fertilizer industry remain firmly opposed to EPA’s proposed rule to lower the threshold standards for fine particulate matter,” said TFI President and CEO Corey Rosenbusch. “And we aren’t alone. TFI joined over 70 other industry groups in a letter articulating the devastating economic impact this rule would have, as well as the faulty reasoning behind the change.”
TFI said that according to the government’s own data, PM2.5 emissions have declined by more than 40% over the past 20 years and continue to go down. Additionally, the current rule balances environmental protection with robust commercial and industrial activity.
“Only two years ago the EPA confirmed that the current standard is protective of public health and the environment,” Rosenbusch continued. “They have not provided any reasoning as to what has changed in the past two years aside from the fact that these emissions continue to decline.”
TFI said the current PM NAAQS was set in 2012 under the Obama administration and has dramatically reduced air pollution across the county. As NAAQS levels have continued to drop and industry adapts through technology and innovation, TFI warned that further air quality controls will not be achievable and will have the unintended consequence of reducing domestic fertilizer production if attainment in the US becomes overly burdensome.
“The need to strengthen the domestic fertilizer industry has been made clear by multiple global crises and echoed by the Biden administration, and now is not the time to hamstring fertilizer production by making new production facilities or the expansion of existing production more difficult or, in many instances, impossible,” Rosenbusch said.
“The fertilizer industry prides itself on innovation and sustainability, and environmental stewardship is a cornerstone of how our industry operates, from production to farmer use,” he concluded. “TFI does not support lowering NAAQS levels and instead believes that the EPA should retain the current PM NAAQS.”