Senators Bid To Soften EPA Cement Rules

Sens. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and George Voinovich (R-OH) are backing industry and union calls for EPA to soften its pending air toxics rule for the Portland cement sector, echoing critics' existing concerns that the rule is so strict it would lead to plant closures and job losses. In a Feb. 17 letter to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, the senators warn that unless EPA adopts a “reasonable” maximum achievable control technology (MACT) standard for the sector, “we anticipate that substantial cement...