Lt. Gov. Jim Cawley Tuesday toured Specialty Tires of America in Indiana and learned how the White House’s “Climate Change Plan” is hindering efforts to create jobs there.

The 98-year-old company makes specialty tires for light aircraft, industrial vehicles, farm equipment and coal mining operations.  However, new carbon-emission standards from the federal Environmental Protection Agency have impacted the mining industry, which has reduced orders for Specialty Tires.

“The Obama Administration has effectively declared a war on coal and we are seeing casualties right here in Indiana.  When so many Pennsylvanians are looking for work, government should not be standing in the way,” Cawley said.

Last year, Gov. Tom Corbett gave $114,000 in state aid to help Specialty Tires reconfigure its existing facility and expand its production lines.  The moves would help the company retain 400 positions and create as many as 40 new jobs.

However, the struggling economy, coupled with the stricter environmental standards, has taken a toll and the company instead had to lay off workers.

“Gov. Corbett and I want to help companies like Specialty Tires expand and grow.  But we need the federal government to be a partner in job creation, not an opponent,” Cawley said.

Cawley noted that greenhouse gas emissions in the United States are trending downward and are back to 1994 levels, while global emissions are growing in other countries such as China.

“Cleaning up emissions requires a global response to be meaningful and must not put our nation at an even greater competitive disadvantage,” Cawley said.

9/2/2013