The Portland Cement Association (PCA) has been busy lately. Following an impressive showing at ConExpo-Con/Agg in Las Vegas, and a very successful IEEE/PCA trade show in Dallas, PCA has received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) and U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) 2023 Energy Star Partner of the Year Award. It’s the fourth consecutive year PCA has been recognized by the federal agencies for demonstrating an outstanding commitment to energy efficiency.
“We’re honored to receive this award and appreciate that our industry’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint have been acknowledged by federal regulators these last four years,” said Mike Ireland, PCA president and CEO. “For decades, our member companies have invested heavily in research and state-of-the-art technology to develop alternative fuels, lower-carbon cements, as well as different manufacturing processes and products that are better for the environment. But it’s clear that the launch of PCA’s Roadmap to Carbon Neutrality in 2021 has put us on an innovative path that will lead us and our partners in the concrete and construction industries to net zero by 2050, if not sooner.”
Speaking of EPA and PCA, the association was also front and center in opposing a technically infeasible proposed emissions limit in the final Good Neighbor Federal Implementation Plan (Good Neighbor FIP) – a limit that was ultimately removed.
The rule would have required cement kilns to meet emissions standards for nitrogen oxides (NOx) more stringent than standards for new kilns and would have forced cement plants to curtail production or shut down.
As PCA noted, EPA relied on flawed data and, for the first time, included cement manufacturers among other industrial industries that would be subject to the proposed rule, despite the fact that many cement plants already utilize emissions control technology.
Kudos to PCA for a strong start to the year and continuing service to the U.S. cement industry.
Mark S. Kuhar, editor
[email protected]
(330) 722‐4081
Twitter: @editormarkkuhar
