A New Mexico refinery accused of severe air pollution and a Louisiana chemical plant being investigated for gas leaks are among several high-profile cases that now face an uncertain future. Under the Biden administration, the EPA had taken a strong stance against pollution, but the Trump administration is shifting the agency’s focus.
Now, the EPA is prioritizing a different agenda, aiming to reduce the cost of buying a car, heating a home, and running a business, rather than combating air, water, and land pollution, as previously reported by The New York Times.
A recent memo from the EPA reflects this shift in priorities, outlining changes that include exempting “non-imminent health threats” from enforcement actions against energy production. This change could open the door for more leniency towards companies in the energy sector, according to Lee Zeldin, the EPA administrator, who sees it as a way to support the “Great American Comeback.”
David Uhlmann, who previously led enforcement at the EPA, views the latest memo as a signal that the current EPA does not intend to hold companies accountable for breaking the law, particularly those in the oil and gas industry. He warns that this could endanger communities, especially those already burdened by pollution.
The Department of Justice, facing its own cutbacks, and EPA spokespeople could not comment on ongoing cases. Conservatives see the rollback as a boost for the economy, questioning the cost of regulation, even as regulatory cases from the previous administration are still in progress and the EPA’s mandate follows a long history of environmental protection.
Recent layoffs and budget cuts at the EPA, as well as the potential elimination of its enforcement and research arms, have already begun to impact on-site inspections, important for monitoring and enforcing against pollution violations, including air pollution cases.
A federal lawsuit against a chemical plant accused of releasing high levels of a probable carcinogen has been dropped. Environmentalists fear a return to times of widespread environmental neglect and worry about the new priorities.
William K. Reilly, a former EPA administrator under George H.W. Bush, is concerned about the environmental consequences of the current policy, noting historical cases of pollution, such as the infamous Cuyahoga River fire, which galvanized environmental awareness and action several decades ago.
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The focus under the Biden administration included action on climate change, toxic “forever chemicals,” and the disposal of coal ash, all shifts in enforcement that the local
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/22/climate/epa-pollution-enforcement.html
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