Trump's Legacy: Easing Pollution Reporting Rules For Companies

During his time in office, former US President Donald Trump rolled back a number of environmental regulations, including rules limiting harmful air pollution from cars and power plants, and restrictions on the emission of mercury, a neurotoxin. Trump's administration also attempted to shrink the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), firing hundreds of employees, and drawing up plans to remove scientists. The EPA's enforcement office has been initiating 19 fewer cases per month on average than the Biden administration, according to an analysis by the Environmental Integrity Project. Trump's EPA also suspended its enforcement of some environmental laws during the coronavirus outbreak, allowing companies to break pollution laws without penalty.

Trump's EPA aimed to cut 31 pollution regulations

In March 2025, Trump's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced plans to roll back or eliminate 31 pollution regulations. The announcement was made by EPA administrator Lee Zeldin, who claimed it would be the “greatest day of deregulation our nation has seen” and a “dagger straight into the heart of the climate change religion”'.

The regulations targeted by the EPA include rules limiting harmful air pollution from cars and power plants, restrictions on the emission of mercury, and clean water protections for rivers and streams. The EPA's move has been criticised by environmentalists and former EPA staff, who argue that the regulations have significant health and economic benefits. For instance, the rules in place are projected to avoid 100 million symptomatic asthma incidents across the US by 2050 and deliver at least $254 billion in economic benefits annually through lowered healthcare costs and fewer sick days.

In addition to the direct health impacts, the removal of these regulations could also worsen the climate crisis by increasing emissions and pollution. This could lead to more frequent and severe disasters such as wildfires, floods, and storms, further endangering public health and safety.

The Trump administration has defended its decision by stating that the regulations impose high costs on businesses and families. Kevin Hassett, who directs Trump's National Economic Council, has argued that regulations make it difficult for businesses to operate and that pausing them has had a "big, massive, positive effect". The administration also aims to lower the cost of living for Americans, unleash American energy, and bring back auto jobs to the US.

This move by the Trump administration is part of a broader pattern of relaxing environmental protections and rolling back pollution regulations. For example, during the coronavirus pandemic, the EPA suspended the enforcement of some environmental laws, allowing companies to break pollution laws without facing penalties.

Companies allowed to break pollution laws during COVID-19

In March 2020, the Trump administration announced that companies would be allowed to break pollution laws during the COVID-19 pandemic. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said it would not expect compliance with the routine monitoring and reporting of pollution and would not pursue penalties for breaking these rules. This applied to environmental laws and regulations surrounding air pollution and water pollution.

The EPA's move came after lobbying from the American Petroleum Institute, an oil and gas industry group, which requested the suspension of rules requiring the repair of leaky equipment and the monitoring of pollution. The EPA's policy stated that it would not seek penalties for non-compliance with monitoring and reporting requirements as long as companies could claim that violations were caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This policy has been criticised for potentially impacting the work of tech companies that are developing tools to measure air pollution and for creating new challenges for researchers and scientists.

The relaxation of environmental laws has been met with concern, particularly regarding air pollution emitted by industrial facilities, which are predominantly located in communities with large numbers of low-income people and people of colour. The COVID-19 virus attacks the respiratory system, and air pollution can exacerbate asthma, breathing difficulties, and cardiovascular problems. Critics argue that excusing the potential release of excess toxic air pollutants during a pandemic that can cause respiratory failure is irresponsible from a public health perspective.

The Trump administration's decision to allow companies to break pollution laws during the COVID-19 pandemic is part of a broader pattern of rolling back pollution regulations. In March 2025, the administration unveiled a list of 31 regulations it planned to scale back or eliminate, including rules limiting harmful air pollution from cars and power plants and restrictions on the emission of mercury, a neurotoxin. These rollbacks have been criticised for risking public health and increasing healthcare costs.

Trump's EPA dismisses hundreds of scientific experts

During his presidency, Donald Trump rolled back or eliminated numerous environmental regulations, including rules limiting harmful air pollution from cars and power plants, and protections for clean water. Trump's administration also attempted to severely shrink the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), firing hundreds of employees, including scientists, and drawing up plans to remove as many as 1,155 scientists.

In March 2025, Trump's EPA provoked uproar by unveiling a list of 31 regulations it intended to scale back or eliminate. This included restrictions on the emission of mercury, a neurotoxin. The move was expected to put public health at risk and increase healthcare costs. According to assessments, the targeted regulations were projected to prevent nearly 200,000 deaths over the next 25 years.

Trump's EPA also suspended the enforcement of some environmental laws during the coronavirus pandemic, allowing companies to break pollution laws without facing penalties. The administration argued that these measures reduced the burden on businesses, but critics claimed that the administration was breaking the law and sidestepping the established rule-making process.

In addition to rolling back regulations, Trump's administration also dismissed hundreds of scientific experts who were working on the National Climate Assessment, a report required by a 1990 federal law. The American Meteorological Society and the American Geophysical Union announced that they would collaborate to produce peer-reviewed research documents to fill the void left by the dismissal of these scientists.

Overall, Trump's EPA dismissals and rollbacks of environmental regulations were met with strong criticism and concern from various experts and organizations, who highlighted the potential risks to public health, the environment, and the costs associated with increased pollution.

Trump's EPA targets state climate laws

During his presidency, Donald Trump rolled back or eliminated a number of environmental regulations, including rules limiting harmful air pollution from cars and power plants, and restrictions on the emission of mercury, a neurotoxin. Trump's EPA also targeted state climate laws, aiming to "drive a dagger straight into the heart" of what he called the "climate change religion".

Trump's EPA Administrator, Lee Zeldin, proposed to upend the basis for the EPA's climate change actions and impact rules on emissions limits, wastewater regulations, and air quality standards. Zeldin also froze $20 billion in funds for nonprofits under the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and halted $7 billion in grants for the Solar For All program, which provides clean energy and lower prices to vulnerable communities.

Trump's administration attempted to make states responsible for disaster recovery, threatening to withhold California wildfire aid unless the state changed its water management policy to benefit his golf course. The EPA also targeted the popular Energy Star Program, which provides federal certification for energy-efficient appliances, and ended all programs of the American Climate Corps, which created thousands of jobs combating climate change and restoring public lands.

The rollbacks of environmental rules were projected to put public health at risk, with an estimated 200,000 lives saved over the next 25 years due to the targeted regulations. The move was criticised by former EPA staffers and health experts, who highlighted the increased costs of healthcare and the negative impact on vulnerable communities.

In addition to targeting state climate laws, the Trump administration also scaled back enforcement of rules intended to curb air and water pollution from power plants, oil refineries, and hazardous waste sites. The EPA's enforcement office initiated fewer cases compared to the previous administration, and the Trump administration dropped lawsuits against large companies.

Trump's EPA aims to cut costs for Americans

During his presidency, Donald Trump has been accused of launching multiple attacks on environmental protection policies. Trump's administration has targeted a barrage of clean air and water regulations, including rules limiting harmful air pollution from cars and power plants, and restrictions on the emission of mercury, a neurotoxin.

Trump's EPA administrator, Lee Zeldin, has defended the administration's actions, stating that they are living up to their promises to "unleash American energy, lower costs for Americans, revitalize the American auto industry, and work hand-in-hand with our state partners to advance our shared mission". Zeldin has also claimed that the rollbacks will roll back trillions in regulatory costs and hidden 'taxes' on US families.

The EPA's own analyses show that the regulations save the US economy far more money than it costs businesses to implement new pollution controls, by a factor of around six to one. According to a former EPA staffer, Jeremy Symons, the costs of these regulations are a fraction of their benefits, and the public will suffer greatly from the increase in pollution and its associated health issues.

Trump's administration has also suspended the enforcement of some environmental laws during the coronavirus pandemic, allowing companies to break pollution laws without penalty. This has included exempting oil refineries from reporting on and reducing their carcinogenic benzene emissions.

The administration has also fired hundreds of EPA employees, including scientists, and has nominated fossil fuel industry insiders for positions overseeing energy development and land use. These actions have been criticised as a severe blow to US public health and the environment, with the rollbacks on pollution regulations risking the health of vulnerable communities and increasing healthcare costs.

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