### RON WYDEN OREGON

CHAIRMAN OF COMMrrIF.E ON

FINANCE

221 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFlCE BUILDING WASHINGTON, DC 20510 (202) 224-5244 

### COMMITTEES:

COMMRTEE ON HNANCE COMMrrTEE ON BUDGET COMMn"iFF ON ENERGY & NATURAL RESOURCES SELECT COMMn"I'EE ON INTFI.LIGENCE JOINT COMMITIEE ON TAXATION 

# Unitcd ^tatcs ol5enatc WASHINGTON, DC 20510-3703



## December 10, 2014

The Honorable Oitta iVlcCarthy Administrator U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 1200 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20460

Dear Administrator McCarthy, I understand that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is in the process of issuing New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for warm air furnaces. Residential wood heaters are currently regulated by the EPA, but this NSPS proposal represents the frst of such EPA regulations for residential warm air furnaces. While I believe this is an important step to reducing emissions to help combat climate change, I am concerned that the timeline set for the industry to comply with the new rules will have a negative impact on the warm air furnace manufacturers, consumers, and retailers in Oregon. The proposed NSPS for warm air furnaces represents the first update to the EPA's residential heating industry regulations since 1988, and will require the manufacturers of warm air furnaces to comply within 60 days of the publication of the final rule in the Federal Register. Compliance will require furnace manufacturers to go through research and development, testing, certification, and EPA approval to ensure that the furnaces fit the new standards. The Clean Air Act (CAA) requires the EPA to finalize the proposed NSPS for warm air furnaces by February 3, 2015. At this time, it remains unclear what the final rule will require, barring manufacturers from beginning the research and development of new, EPA compliant furnaces. Additionally, the proposed NSPS does not allow a grace period fc `ailers to sell their remaining inventory of furnaces that do not comply with the new standards, so ieiailers will be left with inventory tha` cannot be sold and manufacturers may have to buy back unsold units. This leaves retailers without a pro l l y

- sell and manufactures struggling to stay afloat as they work to develop new furnaces while sales .t on hold, putting business and jobs at risk. '-N -wqi^ 

## Eugene, Oregon is home to a United States Stove Company manufacturing facility which would be adversely impacted by the proposed timeline for compliance. I remain concerned that if manufacturers are not given enough time to develop furnaces that comply with the new standards, employees of the Eugene facility and others like them will face an undue and unnecessary risk of losing their jobs. In these tough economic times, it is imperative that the federal government do all it can to support businesses and foster success. The NSPS for warm air furnaces will most certainly have a positive impact on our climate, and I believe that the new rule is a great step toward protecting our environment for future generation. Extending the deadline for compliance will simply give the industry the time it needs to

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## develop furnaces that fit the EPA standards and allow retailers to sell their remaining inventory without

taking a financial hit. This solution is good for the environment and it's good for businesses. I ask that you extend the compliance deadline to one year from the date of enactment of the new rules to allow manufacturers and retailers sufficient time to adjust. I would appreciate a response to my request within 30 days.

Sincerely,

Ron ^yden United States Senator