5 Takeaways From Our Investigation of Trump’s Waivers for Polluters

They are among the biggest sources of cancer-causing pollution in the United States: chemical manufacturers, steel-making plants, facilities that sterilize medical devices. In 2024, they were required to take steps to reduce their toxic emissions. That all changed when President Trump returned to office and gave them a pass. It was the biggest presidential intervention in the Clean Air Act since the bedrock environmental law was enacted more than 50 years ago. Mr. Trump has gone further than any president in dismantling regulations designed to protect the environment, resulting in dirtier air and water. Even so, his aid to specific polluters stands out. To understand these efforts, The New York Times reviewed more than 10,000 pages of government documents and conducted more than 70 interviews. Here are five takeaways from our investigation. Mr. Trump issued more than 200 waivers to some of the worst polluters. Mr. Trump exempted 202 facilities in 39 states and Puerto Rico from new regulations that the Environmental Protection Agency had adopted during the Biden administration. The new rules came about because the Clean Air Act requires the E.P.A. to periodically study the latest pollution controls and impose them if they are affordable and effective. We are having trouble retrieving the article content. Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? Log in . Want all of The Times? Subscribe .