Dirty Air, Dirty Deeds

The Union of Concerned Scientists reports that the Trump administration has granted Clean Air Act exemptions to over one-third of 546 eligible industrial facilities, including coal plants and chemical manufacturers. This policy affects nearly 4.6 million people and over 4,300 schools and daycares, with a disproportionate impact on communities already facing high environmental and social stressors. The administration utilized a national emergency provision in March 2025 to allow a two-year exemption, which the EPA intends to make permanent.

• The Trump administration has exempted more than one-third (188) of 546 eligible facilities—including chemical manufacturers, coal plants, and coke ovens—from clean air rules designed to protect against toxic air pollution.
• Approximately 4.6 million people across 46 US states and Puerto Rico, as well as more than 4,300 schools and daycares, are located within two miles of at least one facility eligible for these exemptions.
• The exemptions disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, with 73 percent of eligible facilities located in areas classified as high or extreme risk by the CDC Environmental Justice Index (EJI).
• Significant health risks exist near these facilities: 62 percent of nearby communities already have air toxics cancer risks exceeding the national average, and nearly half of eligible facilities are in areas where cancer risks are 80 times higher than EPA guidelines.
• In March 2025, the administration used a Clean Air Act national emergency provision to grant a two-year exemption, with the EPA allowing simple emails to serve as applications and planning to eventually make these regulatory weakenings permanent.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2026). Dirty Air, Dirty Deeds. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2026-03/Dirty_Air_Dirty_Deeds_fact_sheet.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Dirty Air, Dirty Deeds. 2026. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2026-03/Dirty_Air_Dirty_Deeds_fact_sheet.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Dirty Air, Dirty Deeds |date=March 2026 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2026-03/Dirty_Air_Dirty_Deeds_fact_sheet.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2026dirty, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Dirty Air, Dirty Deeds}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2026}, month = mar, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2026-03/Dirty_Air_Dirty_Deeds_fact_sheet.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }