Anderson, S.C. -- The House of Representatives recently passed the Blocking Regulatory Interference from Closing Kilns Act of 2017 (BRICK Act) (H.R. 1917). The legislation would stay implementation of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) NESHAP for Clay Ceramics Manufacturing, a regulation governing emissions at ceramic tile manufacturing facilities, until federal court challenges to the regulation are complete. The EPA, in its regulation, estimated that the new rule would yield no environmental benefits with respect to ceramic tile producers, while imposing certain costs on the industry.
"America's tile manufacturers support the BRICK Act,” said Eric Astrachan, executive director of the Tile Council of North America (TCNA). “The EPA has admitted that its recent rule would yield no air quality environmental benefits, while imposing costs on tile manufacturers.It's simply common-sense to delay implementation of the rule while the courts weigh challenges to it and EPA has a chance to reconsider this rulemaking. The last thing tile manufacturers need is a completely unnecessary government regulation."