U.S. Senator Katie Britt Urges EPA to Prioritize National Emission Standards for Lime Manufacturing

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) recently sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin urging the EPA to prioritize the reconsideration of the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Lime Manufacturing Plants (Lime NESHAP).

Despite low levels of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) emitted by lime plants, the Biden Administration EPA finalized a new set of regulations with which the lime industry must comply. The regulations include four strict emissions standards that would cost the industry $2 billion-the lime industry's annual revenue totals $2.3 billion.

"I ask you to continue your crucial work reconsidering yet another disastrous Biden-era rulemaking that would stunt the capability of our domestic lime manufacturing industry and negatively impact downstream industrial end-users. Lime is manufactured in 20 States and is an important component in steel production, energy production, delivering safe drinking water, road building, and wastewater treatment," wrote the Senator.

She continued, "According to EPA's own regulatory impact analysis, the rule would impose more than $2 billion in costs on an industry that generates just $2.3 billion in annual revenue.' Despite this, the agency was unable to identify any quantifiable monetized benefits associated with the rule. The EPA has repeatedly acknowledged that the rule is unnecessary as emissions from the lime industry are already within acceptable limits, posing no threat to human health or the environment."

"I urge you to establish a workable rule with feasible standards and ensure that manufacturers do not have to make costly and unnecessary efforts to comply with a rule that produces no quantifiable public health benefits," Senator Britt concluded.

Alabama is one of the top lime-producing states in the U.S. In fiscal year 2024, approximately 28.5 million tons of limestone were produced in Alabama. Additionally, it is estimated that 20% of total lime production in the U.S. takes place in Shelby County, Ala., alone.

Read the full text of the letter here.

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