July 8, 2025

 

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., 1101A 

Washington, DC 20460  

 

Administrator Zeldin,

Since President Trump took office in January, his administration has committed to strengthening our economy while protecting the environment and reducing our reliance on imports. For too long, the United States has depended on other nations for essential goods and services. Now is the critical moment to unleash American manufacturing, bolster our supply chain and national security, and significantly enhance our global competitiveness.

We've already seen progress in the new administration. The manufacturing sector has experienced growth, generating over 9,000 new jobs (Dec. - April) and raising wages. This stands in stark contrast to the two-year period before January, when approximately 6,000 manufacturing jobs were lost each month over the period of January 2023 - December 2024.

While we are on the right track, the administration can unleash a manufacturing renaissance — creating new jobs and fostering economic growth — through targeted regulatory reforms to enable greater plastics manufacturing and remanufacturing. As a global energy and manufacturing leader, Pennsylvania is poised to lead this charge by advancing collaborative, science-based policies and regulations. 

Plastics support over a quarter of domestic manufacturing operations, yet growth in this critical sector is consistently hampered by both old and new regulations. Conflicting and often outdated state and federal regulations stifle innovation, impair economic growth, and directly hurt American competitiveness.

The Trump Administration, led by the Environmental Protection Agency, has the power to direct regulatory reform for plastics manufacturing that can unleash the next decade of growth in the manufacturing sector. The impact of this reform will be felt locally and nationally, with significant benefits for Pennsylvanians specifically. 

In 2023 alone, plastics contributed $5.19 billion to Pennsylvania's gross domestic product and chemicals, plastics, and rubber production support over 97,000 direct and related jobs.

Increased domestic plastics manufacturing directly benefits the health and safety of all Americans.  Plastics are essential to modern life quality. They are the building blocks for health care products and medical equipment,  renewable energy, high-performing building materials, military equipment, food packaging, electronics, vehicles, and more.  

Furthermore, rigorous federal and state regulatory standards ensure that domestically produced plastics are safe and of high quality. In contrast, foreign-made plastics are often cheaply manufactured and held to significantly lower health and safety standards, posing risks to consumers. Prioritizing domestic production helps keep American workers and consumers safe, while also better protecting the environment.

Your continued efforts to streamline regulations and foster a domestic manufacturing resurgence are seen and deeply appreciated. However, there is more work to be done.  Your voice and influence are incredibly powerful here in Washington, and it is more important than ever to sustain the momentum initiated by President Trump.

With American plastic producers supporting over 25 percent of domestic manufacturing, we urge you and your interagency colleagues to advance policies and regulations that support growth and job creation and eliminate threats that undermine the success of American manufacturing excellence. 

Thank you for your strong leadership and commitment to American manufacturing. 

 

Sincerely,

Allegheny Conference on Community Development

American Petroleum Institute Pennsylvania

Catalyst Connection

Clearly Ahead Development

Consumer Energy Alliance-Mid-Atlantic

DRIVE 

Energy & Manufacturing in Appalachia

Focus Central Pennsylvania

Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC

Marcellus Shale Coalition 

Northeast Pennsylvania Manufacturers and Employers Association

Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry 

Pennsylvania Chemical Industry Council 

Pittsburgh Works Together 

Shale POWER

Williamsport/Lycoming Chamber of Commerce