CMRA—Taking a Stand for its Members

By John Adelman, President, CMRA

After a year of hearing from both the private sector and the public sector, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has decided to write new rules regarding biomass boiler fuel. These interrelated rules were the result of lawsuits the EPA lost against the Sierra Club and EarthJustice, and required the agency to look at fuels made from wastes in a stricter light. While the two main rules concerning boilers have since been stayed, the Secondary Materials, the one that most affects the manufacturers of waste fuels is still intact and harmful to companies such as those that make C&D biomass.

As many of our members are the processors, aggregators, haulers or users of C&D wood that is burned in biomass boilers, the CMRA has been very active in discussions in an attempt to have the EPA refrain from enacting poorly written regulation that does not take into account all of the good work C&D processors are doing to create an excellent biomass fuel.  

In conjunction with other associations, the CMRA is trying to get the EPA to see that most processors are following strict existing rules like here in Maine, the 418 Regulations that were enacted four years ago. It is very troubling the EPA, which should be promoting keeping these materials out of landfills and allowing them to be re-used for a good purpose, is putting itself in a position to prohibit this proven method of recycling. Studies upon studies have been done about the emissions of the plants using these materials and they have all shown there is no scientific reason not to use C&D wood as a fuel for biomass.  

In an economic environment rife with instability and uncertainty, the last thing the EPA should be doing is promoting regulations that will have a negative impact on jobs in the recycling industry.

It is time to stand up and be more active, and the CMRA is ready and willing to be a leader of these types of discussions. But we need you, our individual members, to be vocal as well. Let your local environmental agencies know that this is not good policy, call your local senators and make them aware of what is happening. I am sure many are not aware of this regulation.  

At the end of the day, these are the types of moments that will have lasting effects on our industry and it is in all of our interests to continue to promote good recycling and to make sure regulators at all levels of government support good practices and real scientific facts.  

The CMRA is in an excellent position to be a critical voice on this topic and others like it. We are sought after to join coalitions of many other organizations that know the CMRA brings a greater amount of credibility to their position and as members you should all be proud of the work the organization is doing on your behalf.  

Besides serving as president of the CMRA, John Adelman is president and CEO of CPRC Group, Scarborough, Maine.

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