At an estimated $1.7 trillion hit to GDP, it’s been dubbed the most costly EPA regulation in U.S. history. On March 17, Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) and other state business groups voiced their opposition to EPA’s proposed new ozone standard.

Citing a study commissioned by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), WMC comments note that if EPA put in place a 65 ppb standard, 40 Wisconsin counties would violate the standard and be designated nonattainment. Such a designation results in significant barriers to economic development, including requirements for costly emission offsets and expensive pollution control equipment for new or expanded facilities.

According the NAM study, under a 65 ppb standard Wisconsin will see the following economic impacts: 

• $30 billion gross state product loss from 2017 to 2040
• 4,421 lost jobs or job-equivalents per year
• $10 billion in total compliance costs
• $580 drop in average household consumption per year
• $1 billion more for residents to own/operate their vehicles statewide (2017 to 2040)