The undersigned organizations appreciate the opportunity to provide input on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (Service) proposed expansion of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge) Boundary. Our organizations represent a large and diverse cross-section of America’s agriculture, construction, energy, forestry, manufacturing, and mining sectors. Our members are vital to building a thriving national economy and are essential to achieving the nation’s critical infrastructure, supply chain, transportation, and energy goals.

The undersigned trade associations welcome the opportunity to comment on the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) draft memorandum and toolkit regarding “Broadening Public Participation and Community Engagement with the Federal Government.” We appreciate OMB’s efforts to improve engagement in the rulemaking process. Our associations strongly support fostering robust and inclusive public involvement, as it enhances transparency, builds trust, and leads to better-informed policies. We therefore offer the following comments on specific elements of the draft documents. 

The National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA) offers the following comments on EPA’s proposed disapproval of the Texas State Implementation Plan (SIP) provisions for maintenance, startup and shutdown (MSS) provisions for visible emissions and particulate matter.1 NSSGA urges EPA to abandon its proposal as inconsistent with the fundamental principles underlying the Clean Air Act (CAA) and relevant judicial decisions, and to approve the Texas SIP provisions at issue.

The undersigned organizations write on behalf of millions of American businesses and their employees in all sectors of the U.S. economy. Considering the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Loper Bright Enterprises et al. v. Raimondo we ask your Administration to pause all current rulemakings and stop new rules from taking effect until there is a thorough legal review of each agency’s constitutional and statutory authority to regulate in the way it proposes.

We, the undersigned trade associations, represent a large cross section of the nation’s construction, transportation, real estate, mining, manufacturing, forestry, agriculture, energy, wildlife conservation, and public health and safety sectors – all of which are vital to a thriving national economy and provide important resources and good paying jobs in local communities across the United States. We hope that the administration will continue to work with our sectors as partners in protecting and enhancing the environment.

The undersigned trade associations appreciate the opportunity to comment on the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) request for information regarding methods and practices for advancing public participation and community engagement (PPCE). We believe it is essential that all individuals have a fair and equal opportunity to petition their government and have their views and interests represented within the federal policy and rulemaking process. Our associations strongly support the free exchange of information and ideas among all stakeholders.

The organizations signed below collectively submit the following comments on the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) filed March 12, 2024 entitled “Buy America Requirements for Manufactured Products”.

We, the undersigned trade associations have members that collectively employ millions of Americans in all sectors of the U.S. economy. Our members are committed to environmental stewardship and to policies that encourage domestic emissions reductions that address climate change. Yet, we write to raise serious concerns about an authorization request from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) pertaining to rail locomotive emissions and respectfully urge you to deny their petition.

The undersigned associations (the “Coalition”) offer the following comments in response to the U.S.

On behalf of the organizations listed below in the construction materials industry, we strongly urge you to veto Senate Bill 368. This bill would inappropriately mischaracterize over 2,500 hardworking Georgians employed in the construction materials industry at international companies, as foreign agents. SB 368 requires prohibitively onerous reporting for foreign-based companies to do business in Georgia. Aggregates, concrete, cement and asphalt are critical to the supply chain, and they are used to sustain our modern way of life and build our nation’s communities and infrastructure.