Particle.news

Download on the App Store

EPA Moves to Roll Back Over 30 Environmental Regulations, Drawing Widespread Criticism

The proposed changes target emissions, air and water quality standards, and climate policies, raising concerns about public health and environmental progress.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was formed in the 1970s to "protect human health and to safeguard the natural environment." In this file photo, EPA staff respond to a 2023 train carrying toxic chemicals from Houston that derailed in East Palestine, Ohio.
FILE - Former Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., President-elect Donald Trump's pick to head the Environmental Protection Agency, appears before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Capitol Hill, Jan. 16, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)
FILE - Oil Spill Commission co-chair William Reilly, speaks at a hearing in Washington, Sept. 27, 2010. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)
FILE - Christine Todd Whitman, the former Republican Governor of New Jersey, speaks, March 6, 2019, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)

Overview

  • The EPA, under Administrator Lee Zeldin, announced plans to reconsider or repeal over 30 environmental regulations, including the 2009 endangerment finding on greenhouse gases.
  • Critics, including former EPA leaders and environmental groups, warn the changes could reverse decades of progress in air and water quality and exacerbate public health risks such as asthma and heart disease.
  • Key rollbacks include vehicle emissions standards, coal and natural gas power plant regulations, and protections for wetlands under the Clean Water Act.
  • Supporters of the deregulation argue the changes will reduce regulatory costs, increase economic flexibility, and allow market-driven solutions for energy and transportation.
  • The regulatory changes are expected to face significant legal challenges, with opponents citing potential environmental and health harms as well as long-term economic costs.