AISI Comments on “Clean Competition Act” Introduced Today

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Kevin Dempsey, president and CEO of the American Iron and Steel Institute, issued the following statement on the “Clean Competition Act” introduced today by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). The legislation would establish carbon border fees on some imported goods with higher greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity than the emissions intensity of competing U.S.-made goods:

“The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) welcomes Senator Whitehouse’s proposed system of carbon intensity-based tariffs on higher emitting foreign imports that are one aspect of the Clean Competition Act. As the American steel industry leads the world in low-carbon steel production, a carbon tariff approach will help level the playing field for American steel producers and ensure that domestic industry investments in cleaner production processes are not undercut by high-carbon-emitting steel made overseas.

“AISI strongly opposes the Clean Competition Act’s proposed tax on domestic carbon emissions, however. This provision penalizes domestic producers who are making great strides towards decarbonization and would deprive domestic steel producers of the very capital needed to continue investing billions of dollars in decarbonization and innovation in the United States.”

Courtesy: www.steel.org