The Trump administration has introduced a controversial policy that may allow companies to bypass strict clean-air regulations established by the Biden administration. Under new guidance from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), power plants and other industrial facilities can now request exemptions for emissions limits associated with toxic chemicals like mercury and arsenic by simply sending an email.
Citing an obscure section of the Clean Air Act, the EPA states that these exemptions may be granted if the required technology is unavailable or if national security interests are at stake. Companies were provided with a template for their applications, which will be reviewed by President Trump himself.
Experts are voicing concerns that this approach could lead to a systematic loophole, allowing industries to disregard important air pollution controls. Joseph Goffman, a former EPA official, expressed worry that this could create a "rubber stamp process" that minimizes regulatory enforcement, further endangering public health and the environment.
