Communities Worry About Air Pollution Amid EPA Rollbacks Under Trump
Residents fear that potential EPA rollbacks could worsen air quality and health issues in their communities
Houston, Texas, Air Pollution, EPA, Environmental Justice, Donald Trump
Houston — Donna Thomas is a pollution warrior in Houston, Texas. She wears a mask because she believes a lifetime of breathing polluted air in her community contributed to a stroke four years ago.
Near her home, Thomas points out Texas’ largest coal-fired power plant. “It’s the oldest thing you can be burning in our neighborhoods. It’s dangerous,” she says.
To help communities like hers, the EPA under President Biden set up a new Office of Environmental Justice. This office has 200 staff members and over $2.8 billion to support “disadvantaged, marginalized, and over-polluted communities.” They even fund projects that let neighborhoods check their own air quality.
But there’s a catch. Project 2025, which could guide President-Elect Donald Trump, suggests getting rid of the EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice. “We already know that everybody’s concerned. We want our EPA to be stronger,” Thomas said.
Unfortunately, that seems unlikely. Trump has promised to “cut ten old regulations for every one new regulation.” Many business leaders argue that environmental rules hurt their profits. During his first term, Trump rolled back 100 environmental regulations. Just last week, he claimed that any company investing a billion dollars in the U.S. would get quick approvals, including for environmental matters.
Daniel Cohan, a professor at Rice University, is on one of the EPA’s scientific advisory boards. He doubts that environmental regulations hurt business. “We’ve seen the oil and gas industry prosper and produce more oil and gas than ever before, even with EPA regulations,” he said.
Since the EPA started regulating clean air in the 1970s, emissions of common air pollutants have dropped by almost 80%. But around Houston, there’s still a long way to go. A 2018 Rice University study found that pollution from that power plant causes 177 premature deaths each year.
In a statement to CBS News, the plant owner, NRG, said they comply with all environmental rules and are proud of their record.
Thomas believes protecting the environment isn’t a partisan issue. “Whether you’re a Democrat or Republican, you should be protected from all the environmental issues, but you’re not because there’s no justice out here for people,” she said.
She’s worried that over the next four years, it will be even harder to get environmental regulations and enforcement.
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