Imagine pouring your life savings into a bakery, only to have a government rule come along demanding you spend it all on equipment that has nothing to do with baking bread. That’s what’s happening across America today as small business owners face an impossible choice: adhere to these costly new carbon emission regulations or risk legal action and closure.

These rules aren’t coming from state legislatures where businesses can at least voice concerns, but from the federal government in Washington D.C., far removed from the day-to-day realities of running a small business. The cost to comply with these new standards is crippling for many entrepreneurs who already operate on razor-thin profit margins.

Consider this: if your household had to suddenly invest thousands of dollars in air filtration systems and other compliance equipment just to keep your home’s furnace running, what would you do? That’s the reality small business owners are facing now. They’re being forced to take money out of their operations — money that could be spent on employee wages or improving products for customers — and put it toward regulatory costs instead.

Think about a local mechanic shop: if complying with these new rules means they have to lay off workers just to keep the doors open, where does that leave the community? Who will repair cars when there are fewer mechanics due to business closures?

I did not want to believe this was happening. When I read reports of businesses shutting down because they can’t afford federal regulations aimed at carbon emissions reduction, it felt like someone had hit me in the gut with a baseball bat. And yet, here we are.

My late husband used to tell me that when you see something bad coming your way, the best thing is to be prepared and informed about it. That’s why I’m sharing this information today: so you know what challenges small business owners are facing right now as a result of these new rules.

The stakes for future generations couldn’t be higher. If we continue down this path where federal overreach strangles the very lifeblood out of our local economies, who will be left to innovate and create jobs? The impact on young people entering the workforce could be devastating if they see few opportunities because so many businesses have closed their doors.

When I stay up late at night thinking about this — as I did last night — it’s not for myself. It’s for my grandchildren, and all of us who care about the future our children will inherit. We owe it to them to ensure that today’s small business owners aren’t forced out by an unyielding regulatory regime.

Please take a moment to read through this and share it with others who might not be aware of the difficulties these regulations are causing for local businesses. Every voice counts in raising awareness about this issue.