EPA MEETING JUNE 26, 2024, on PM2.5 at the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
The Green Bay Innovation Group would like to thank Sam Rikkers COO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation for hosting the Environmental Protection Agency. The participants included: Marty Ochs – Green Bay Innovation Group, Scott Suder and Patrick Stevens – Wisconsin Paper Council, Henry Schienebeck – Great Lakes Timber Professionals and Dan Goymerac – TAPPI. The EPA was represented by Mike Langman, Eric Svingen and Michale Wolski.
The Presentation was excellent and provided ALL of US with a much better understanding of PM2.5 and its impact on our business and our health. The EPA put it place for 2024 setting the standard at 9 ug/ms. We understand the health of Wisconsinites and improving our state’s air quality and protecting our manufacturing to create jobs and expand our economy. We appreciate the EPA focusing on Wisconsin in their presentation. PM2.5 was not a major issue in Wisconsin and the only area of concern is Milwaukee and a few areas in Northeastern Wisconsin. In addition, the amount of PM2.5 across the USA has been declining over the past 20 years while the rest of the world PM2.5 has been increasing. The United States is the second largest manufacturing country in the world. However, a major concern will be wildfires, especially in the Northern Areas of the USA.
We did have a lot of questions and concerns:
- Wisconsin is being impacted by our surrounding states which we cannot control.
- The Paper, Pulp and Manufacturing industries require large investments, and the concern is the time and risks for obtaining new permits for current and new factories in Wisconsin and the USA. We need to be competitive with the rest of the world!
- We understand the EPA reported PM2.5 has decreased over the years from 2000 to 2022 with cleaner air than ever before in United States.
- In Wisconsin, we have witnessed in the Paper and Pulp Industries eliminating the of use of coal and reduced biomass by replacing it with Natural gas especially with larger companies.
- The new standard pm2.5 is set at 9 ug/m3 in the USA and the European Union new annual limit of ten micrograms per cubic meter by 2030. Based upon our conversations, the EPA is ready to work with industry to transition away from polluting energy sources over a period! Wisconsin needs to communicate and work with the Wisconsin DNR as the starting point!
- The primary PM2.5 Sources are: Burning Gasoline, Diesel Fuel, Coal, Road Dust and Power Plants. We have witnessed forest fires especially in Canada having a major impact, especially on the northern states.
