Boiler MACT Changes Put 17,000 P&P Jobs, 72,000 Community Jobs at Risk

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An estimated 17,000 U.S. pulp and paper mill jobs will be lost if EPA's proposed changes to the existing regulations on industrial boilers are finalized, according to a study conducted by Fisher International, South Norwalk, Conn., USA. The new Boiler Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) Rule would also jeopardize nearly 72,000 jobs in surrounding communities, many of which serve to supply the mills in these areas, the study adds.

In the pulp and paper sector alone, the Boiler MACT rule would force nearly 30 mills to close and put 16,888 Americans out of jobs, marking a 14% decrease in industry jobs, the Fisher study suggests. As the rule applies to the entire manufacturing sector of the U.S., the total number of jobs lost as a result of facility closures will be much higher. Furthermore, if all of EPA pending air regulations come to pass, job losses are set to explode to 43,666 in paper mills alone and up to 185,581 in communities that rely on these mills.

"These staggering job losses can be prevented if the EPA will develop a more flexible approach to regulating boiler emissions," says Michael Draper, VP Western District –United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America and chairman of the Forest Products Industry National Labor Management Committee. Draper adds that "by setting more realistic standards, we can protect both jobs and the environment."

The eight-page study, commissioned by AF&PA, and two-page summary are available online.