Washington D.C., December 16, 2020 – Following major news outlet's declaration of the reports of former Environmental Protection Administrator Gina McCarthy to be White House Climate Coordinator, Former Governor Jennifer Granholm to lead the Department of Energy (DOE), North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Michael Regan to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the announcement of Mayor Pete Buttigieg to be Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary, Portland Cement Association (PCA) President and CEO Mike Ireland released the following statement:
"America's cement manufacturers congratulate the nominees and appointees on their new positions in a Biden administration. PCA and its members look forward to working with the new administration on a wide variety of issues affecting the cement and concrete industry. PCA is eager to find ways to work with the administration on significant infrastructure investment and creating market‐based policies and initiatives that will enable the cement industry's continued reduction of its carbon footprint while preserving our industry's global competitiveness.
"As a former Head of Environmental Protect Agency, Gina McCarthy brings with her a wealth of knowledge and on our nation's air and climate policies and a willingness to listen to stakeholders from all sides. PCA appreciates her prior work with the cement industry and looks forward to working with Ms. McCarthy, EPA, and the larger Biden team to develop policies that advance the cement industry's goal of net-zero carbon emissions across the cement and concrete value chain by 2050 while retaining a strong domestic manufacturing base.
"The Department of Energy is critical to PCA's efforts to address our industry's impact on our nation's emissions. If confirmed, we look forward to collaborating with Department of Energy nominee Jennifer Granholm on DOE's research and funding efforts to develop emerging technologies such as industrial carbon capture, use, and sequestration, among many others.
"PCA and its members are critical stakeholders on a wide range of legal, regulatory, and policy matters handled by the Environmental Protection Agency. If confirmed, PCA looks forward to working with Michael Regan on a continued partnership on EPA's EnergyStar Program, collaboration on the Smart Sector Program and the ongoing effort to develop a National Recycling Strategy.
"As many Americans are still in need of jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, following the confirmation process, PCA looks forward to working with Pete Buttigieg and the Department of Transportation on a significant infrastructure package. By investing in our nation's crumbling infrastructure, we can provide economic relief to the country while creating thousands of well-paying jobs.
"This is a critical time for our nation, our economy and the cement industry. PCA is eager to work with the Biden Administration to advance the cement and concrete industries' top priorities."
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The Portland Cement Association (PCA), founded in 1916, is the premier policy, research, education, and market intelligence organization serving America’s cement manufacturers. PCA members represent over 90% of U.S. cement production capacity and have facilities in all 50 states. The association promotes safety, sustainability, and innovation in all aspects of construction, fosters continuous improvement in cement manufacturing and distribution, and generally promotes economic growth and sound infrastructure investment. For more information, visit www.cement.org.