**Comments to**  **EPA Hearing**  **on PVC**  **MACT Proposed**  **Rule**

**Beverly Smiley,**  **Executive Director,**  **Solutions Through**  **Science**
**My name**  **is Beverly**  **Smiley. I**  **am a**  **native and**  **lifelong resident**  **of Baton**  **Rouge, Louisiana.**  **I grew**  **up in**  **the industrial**  **area of**  **North Baton**  **Rouge. My**  **father, as** **well as**  **the fathers**  **of most**  **of my**  **childhood friends,**  **worked at**  **the plants**  **during that**  **time.**

**I have**  **chosen to**  **remain in**  **Baton Rouge,**  **having been**  **educated here**  **and raising**  **my two**  **children here.**  **During the**  **years I**  **have lived**  **in this**  **community, within** **just a** **few miles**  **of the**  **industrial plants,**  **I have**  **always felt**  **safe. I**  **have worked**  **in this**  **area my**  **adult life,**  **first for**  **Girl Scouts**  **and then**  **for the**  **Food Bank,**  **which was,**  **located right**  **across the**  **street from** **the plants,**  **and later**  **I chose**  **to work**  **for the**  **chlorine and**  **vinyl industry.**  **I feel**  **as safe when**  **I am**  **on site**  **at one**  **of my**  **member facilities**  **as I**  **have anywhere**  **else I**  **have worked.** 

**The chlor-vinyl**  **industry established** **facilities in**  **Louisiana because**  **of our**  **natural resources**  **needed to**  **manufacture chlorine**  **and vinyl;**  **salt domes**  **which are**  **located throughout South**  **Louisiana, natural**  **gas, and**  **water ways.**  **Salt is**  **the most**  **plentiful material**  **on earth**  **and PVC,**  **by weight,**  **is 57**  **per cent**  **salt. Natural**  **gas is**  **plentiful and**  **affordable in**  **Louisiana and**  **is a**  **clean burning**  **energy source.**  **Water, which**  **is used**  **in our**  **manufacturing process,**  **is then**  **returned purer** **than its**  **original state**  **and runoff** **from rain**  **is purified**  **before it**  **is released**  **into the**  **environment.**

**These companies**  **provided good,**  **steady jobs** **when I** **was growing**  **up, just** 
**as they**  **do now.**  **They are**  **an important**  **part of** **the community**  **providing economic**  **benefits for**  **our city**  **and state.** 
**Many of** **the things** **we need**  **and use**  **every day**  **are manufactured**  **from the**  **products that**  **are made**  **in the** **facilities that**  **produce PVC**  **resins in**  **Louisiana. The**  **products include a**  **large per**  **cent of**  **our building**  **materials such**  **as double**  **pane vinyl**  **windows that**  **are energy**  **efficient and**  **that never**  **need painting;**  **vinyl siding**  **that is**  **durable and** **that is**  **not susceptible**  **to termites;**  **PVC pipe**  **that conduct**  **safe drinking**  **water into**  **our homes**  **and public buildings; and insulation** **for electric** **wiring and computer**  **cables.**
**Vinyl also**  **offers safe,**  **affordable materials**  **for IV**  **and blood**  **bags, tubing,**  **and medical**  **supplies such**  **as surgical**  **gloves, inflatable**  **splints, and** **vinyl is** **compatible with** **virtually all**  **pharmaceutical products**  **used in**  **healthcare**

**settings. Because**  **of its**  **purity, PVC**  **offers a**  **safe material**  **that our**  **healthcare professionals**  **can depend**  **on in** **their work.** 

**The companies**  **that manufacture**  **vinyl are**  **operated in**  **a safe**  **and environmental**  **sound manner**  **and spend** **thousands of**  **hours training their**  **employees in**  **safety and environmental**  **management.**

**Because of**  **improved technology**  **and regulations**  **emissions have**  **decreased steadily**  **over the**  **years and**  **will continue**  **to do**  **so.**