Washington D.C.— Today, the House Small Business Committee held a hearing examining the impact of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations on American small businesses. During the hearing, Ranking Member Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) discussed the ability of EPA rules to both strengthen environmental safeguards and promote economic growth.
“Smart, well-crafted regulations can spur innovation and the development of new, clean technologies. New opportunities abound for entrepreneurs to produce materials in cleaner ways,” said Ranking Member Velázquez. “We can’t get stuck on the message that regulations hinder the growth of small businesses. We must look to the future and understand that regulations can drive innovation, grow the economy, and protect public health and our environment at the same time.”
The EPA’s overarching mission is to protect human health and the environment. Between the passage of the Clean Air Act in 1978 and 2022, air pollution emissions dropped by 78 percent, and the economy grew, proving that regulations can strengthen environmental safeguards and promote economic growth simultaneously. EPA is also required to conduct an independent economic impact analysis of agency rules, including their effect on small firms. Analysis has also shown that EPA regulations yield more benefits for Americans than any other agency, in aggregate the benefits outweigh the costs by a ratio of 13 to 1.
During the hearing, experts testified about how EPA regulations are designed to minimize the impact on small businesses and how environmental protection can help create an environment where small firms thrive.
“EPA regulations are designed to mitigate environmental and health risks by focusing on the largest contributors to pollution, which often results in a regulatory framework that is inherently more focused on large corporations, not main street businesses,” said Michael Green, Director of Climate and Energy Policy at the American Sustainable Business Network. “Our main street businesses understand the importance of strengthening our clean air and water standards. We need healthy communities, a dependable workforce, and an environment that allows our businesses to thrive in place.”
