EPA's Email Exemption Process for Industrial Polluters Sparks Outrage

[{"selector":"#anim-3588e48e-f584-475a-85d8-6baabf14605e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-40df98ab-f41d-4633-b755-a22545268199","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.55696%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6943ca26-2e47-42fd-ac82-b54a276b5cc9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8e83ccab-659a-4521-8832-be32a607cbb2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-122.3301%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] EPA's Email Exemption Process for Industrial Polluters Sparks Outrage Govind Tekale

EPA creates email-based exemption system allowing polluters to bypass Clean Air Act regulations for hazardous substances like mercury and benzene

[{"selector":"#anim-cf8d1aaa-a98b-4f17-8c9c-f5d0f6cd474a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-46d5ce6c-7bd7-42bc-a9ff-3b11a5684c50","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.50632%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4e4409eb-4f22-4585-9469-3396f674cf38","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-420b5121-a55f-4130-82c7-4f6ca457c34f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-73d57fcb-fa95-45fb-91dd-02b68312acf6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Uxud (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Environmental groups slam the move as "the email inbox from hell" that could unleash brain-damaging toxins on children

[{"selector":"#anim-256f51fe-2c25-4f80-b226-9044a02c0e26","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fc7edabf-d108-4e2e-b438-bc023558c285","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 197.04866%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-27593b8a-9961-457c-b838-cd9df762febd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9eb173c4-0755-49a8-9404-7be24d9a81d6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -111.1955%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-889658bd-5be4-4332-b745-8df4589a3f89","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Chris LeBoutillier (Pexels)

Companies must claim unavailable technology or national security interests to qualify, with minimal evidence required

[{"selector":"#anim-4eaca832-ef38-4c8d-b929-b59fdc65d60b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5e7a0c60-205b-4fdc-87e6-abeba1188509","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.58885%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-888f7872-3e2c-4547-9892-697952ae94ee","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-78d78141-07a7-451f-bb4e-114e78fbccdf","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(113.60759%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dfeb9915-36aa-4f3f-a7c3-77d968983d51","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: PxHere(CC0 1.0)

The exemption could affect 764 pollution sources across nine industrial sectors including chemical manufacturing and coal-fired power plants

[{"selector":"#anim-d4ddb525-8d98-4eb6-8803-5ad612c789c0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-52c5c12f-23a4-4438-bddb-c8ba48fffb2c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 163.7807%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-19130bbf-4055-4610-9ed1-c20f2b468c9a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-81ace347-624e-407e-983e-d2a50e8e68f1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f3f79d52-9104-46c4-bcc6-fd00bb69c44a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: PxHere (CC0 1.0)

Critics warn these exemptions will disproportionately harm communities of color and low-income areas already suffering higher rates of pollution-related illnesses

[{"selector":"#anim-983639f3-c6f0-4dab-9fe6-b3583b8f1ba9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2ed8034d-4a26-4af6-9cff-7699fe2a5630","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ce5ab9dc-6f60-47b9-8129-b6a22c6251dd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d30ac6d8-b189-4cde-9fdb-036b65f5e523","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f40fe4ae-b2e0-480c-a6fc-0df5f904aa30","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Tom Fisk (Pexels)

Manufacturing groups praised the administration for "rebalancing burdensome federal regulations" they claim harm America's competitiveness

[{"selector":"#anim-b84123db-1626-4ff2-83d7-fb67df88a6e6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dac41d1a-5378-4a32-8e02-e8c8765df47d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 163.7807%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3485ca34-36ba-4bdd-9ad1-d50c45acfc3e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1c87458f-a444-4cd7-8d8f-0ddb8e9153f3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1b8207b7-acfd-4b94-b282-9e4641a505e3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Science Museum, London (CC BY-NC-SA)

Environmental organizations have filed Freedom of Information Act requests and are preparing legal challenges to defend communities

[{"selector":"#anim-444f724e-f466-4dd7-8562-6fbfea7ac93b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d7553061-72a1-48fe-8761-aed5fb302a18","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5927a1f3-09b9-490e-b28d-6709b9fc4300","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c606c5d5-2704-4a83-a139-6a0e4400fd8d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-58b04706-63d7-4c1f-9118-2a8bd21979e1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Pix4free.org-Nick Youngson (CC BY-SA 3.0)

If granted, these exemptions can last up to two years, with potential for renewal, threatening public health with increased exposure to nearly 200 regulated pollutants

[{"selector":"#anim-c9cd25e4-69d6-4ee6-b461-1a21d47a1967","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3ffb889d-0dc0-413b-ab09-63b4452dbe1e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 164.43004%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3e0414f6-e939-4c74-9434-8af3d2766864","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0401038a-9230-493d-acd5-1546adacba6a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b554a188-3f8f-4b49-b0a3-691c08a3ae56","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: The U.S. National Archives (PDM 1.0)

[{"selector":"#anim-5b2a8a57-0f00-4abf-91a2-e98c31de4b53","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4ec06195-61cf-4c5d-9c88-532541a2ee10","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-02e65594-6d9c-4fc6-86e5-f2d33a3217c4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.50152%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-69b4c1bf-e591-49ca-afd3-a389d7ee3e6d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2f774b62-57f7-4c6c-81a6-e7b06f4ad745","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.2381%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Plastic Recycling Stagnant at 5%; Ineffective Methods Promoted Learn more