Coal plants and chemical facilities secured air rule exemptions through Trump-era email system
Power companies and chemical manufacturers have used a new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency process under President Trump to quickly win exemptions from air pollution rules meant to limit mercury and cancer-causing emissions.
Maxine Joselow reports for The New York Times.
In short:
- At least 15 coal plants and several chemical and steel facilities were granted exemptions from federal air pollution rules after emailing requests to the EPA.
- The exemptions delay compliance with limits on mercury and ethylene oxide, both linked to serious health risks, including neurological harm in children and cancer.
- Environmental groups have sued, arguing the administration failed to justify the exemptions on national security grounds as required by the Clean Air Act.
Key quote:
“Communities have a right to know if coal plants, chemical plants or steel plants are actively trying to get around regulations that are designed to protect those communities.”
— Patrick Drupp, Sierra Club director of climate policy
Why this matters:
Mercury and ethylene oxide are among the most hazardous pollutants regulated under U.S. law. Mercury accumulates in fish and enters human diets, where it can impair brain development in infants and young children. Ethylene oxide, a colorless gas used in sterilizing medical equipment and making plastics, is classified as a human carcinogen and has been tied to elevated cancer rates in communities near manufacturing plants. Delaying controls on these emissions extends exposure for millions of people, particularly those living near coal plants and chemical facilities, which are often in low-income or rural areas. The exemptions also mark a sharp shift in how environmental laws are enforced, with implications for both public health and industrial regulation nationwide.
Related: Trump lifts pollution rules for over 100 industrial plants, sparking health concerns
