Certain chemical manufacturers were granted a two-year exemption from Biden-era emissions control requirements under a July 13 proclamation signed by President Donald Trump.
The 2024 rule requires testing and monitoring technologies that are not commercially available and would compel many facilities to either shut down or make massive capital investments to meet the compliance timeline, according to the proclamation.
“A disruption of this capacity would weaken key supply chains, increase dependence on foreign producers, and impair our ability to respond effectively in a time of crisis.
“These consequences would ripple across sectors vital to America’s growing industrial strength and emergency readiness,” the president said in his proclamation.
It would allow those manufacturers to continue operating their facilities for two years under the emissions standards that were in place before the EPA’s 2024 standards.
Trump has rescinded numerous Biden-era regulations since taking office for a second term last year, targeting provisions related to energy, climate, and immigration, among others.
The move is expected to lower grocery prices and transportation costs for refrigerated items, while reducing air-conditioning expenses in homes and businesses, according to the EPA. Administration officials estimated annual savings of $2.4 billion, including about $800 million from lower grocery prices, $100 million across industries, and about $1.5 billion in reduced transportation costs.
The agency determined that the 2012 emissions standards already offered “an ample margin of safety” and that the Biden-era amendments were not necessary because there were no cost-effective developments in control technology.