EPA rolls back climate and pollution regulations in the US

Under the Trump administration, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has implemented significant policy shifts regarding environmental and public health protections. In February 2026, the agency, led by Lee Zelden, ruled that climate change does not endanger public health, a decision that coincided with the rescinding of the 2009 finding that greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane drive climate change.

The administration has also reversed regulations on hazardous air pollutants from coal-fired plants, including mercury and other heavy metals. Approximately 546 polluting facilities have received exemptions from Clean Air Act rules, potentially exposing 4.6 million Americans to increased cancer risks.

Further regulatory changes include the repeal of certain limits on forever chemicals in drinking water and the easing of restrictions on hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). Additionally, the Fish and Wildlife Service has certified the weedkiller atrazine as safe, despite links to cancer and hormonal diseases. The administration is also sidelining the independent chemical assessment process that previously determined which chemicals were hazardous to human health.