American Wood Council (AWC) President & CEO Robert Glowinski issued a statement following the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) release of the draft “Begin Actual Construction” air guidance memo. It clairfies that construction on non-emission elements of a project can begin before obtaining a New Source Review (NSR) permit.

“Wood products manufacturers are continually making capital investments to improve systems and keep them operating properly and efficiently. However, current EPA policy has limited virtually all preparation or construction activities in advance of receiving an NSR permit, even if planned improvements would not affect emissions, such as putting in foundations or utility infrastructure. Today’s guidance means a project can be completed faster while ensuring that air impacts from emitting equipment are still properly evaluated. This is particularly important in states with shorter construction seasons, such as Michigan and Wisconsin, which also have large numbers of wood product manufacturing jobs.”

The American Wood Council (AWC) is the voice of North American wood products manufacturing, an industry that provides almost 450,000 men and women in the United States with family-wage jobs. AWC represents 86 percent of the structural wood products industry, and members make products that are essential to everyday life from a renewable resource that absorbs and sequesters carbon. Staff experts develop state-of-the-art engineering data, technology, and standards for wood products to assure their safe and efficient design, as well as provide information on wood design, green building, and environmental regulations. AWC also advocates for balanced government policies that affect wood products.

www.awc.org

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