Blocking Regulatory Interference From Closing Kilns Act of 2016

Floor Speech

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Mr. CARTER of Georgia. I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4557, the BRICK Act.

Once again American businesses find themselves facing millions of dollars in compliance costs due to burdensome EPA regulations.

It is estimated that the EPA's Brick MACT rule may cost the brick and ceramics industry up to $100 million per year, with the cost of compliance for the average facility at approximately $4.4 million.

In addition, the industry will not be able to meet the requirement deadlines imposed by the rule, which is currently being challenged in Federal court.

The EPA's first attempt at a Brick MACT rule was judicially vacated, but not before the industry spent millions in compliance measures ultimately found to be invalid.

Small brick and ceramics businesses have been the hardest hit by the first rule, and if this situation repeats itself, many of these businesses will be forced to close their doors for good.

H.R. 4557 would provide much-needed regulatory relief to brick and ceramic businesses by stating that no additional compliance measures shall be mandated by the EPA until judicial review of the rule is completed.

I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, which will protect a vital industry and its thousands of jobs from potentially devastating regulatory uncertainty.

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