NFIB

Bush Keeps Lead Emissions Rules
04/18/2001

NFIB announced yesterday it plans to sue the government to prevent enforcement of a rule that requires manufacturers to disclose their releases of toxic lead into the environment, the Washington Post reports.

The Bush administration announced yesterday it will uphold a stricter lead-reporting regulation issued by the Clinton administration near the end of its term.

The decision, announced by Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christine Todd Whitman, requires manufacturing and processing plants to report the emission of lead or lead compounds if they total 100 pounds a year, a much tougher standard than the current 10,000 pounds, the Post reports.

The new standard expands to include an estimated 3,600 more businesses, including makers of batteries, circuit boards and pipe organs.

Aaron L. Taylor, NFIB's policy communications manager, said the rule extends "a burdensome paperwork requirement to smaller and smaller businesses" and could wind up costing jobs.

The decision was the second blow to business this week. On Monday, Whitman announced the administration would leave in place regulations toughening development activity on thousands of acres of wetlands.