Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• EPA amends air quality designation for Detroit area to nonattainment following Sixth Circuit Court vacatur — The Environmental Protection Agency issued a final rule amending 40 CFR 81.323 to redesignate the Detroit, Michigan area (seven counties) from attainment to nonattainment status for the 2015 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards with a Moderate classification. This technical amendment implements a December 5, 2025 decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, which vacated EPA's May 2023 redesignation to attainment, finding the agency had misinterpreted Clean Air Act section 107(d)(3)(E)(v) regarding state compliance prerequisites.
• EPA approves California air quality rules regulating volatile organic compound emissions from oil and gas production facilities — The Environmental Protection Agency finalized approval of six revised state implementation plan rules from three California air districts—San Joaquin Valley, Ventura County, and South Coast—that regulate volatile organic compound emissions from crude oil and natural gas production facilities. The rules, submitted between October 2023 and February 2024, replace previously approved versions and take effect June 29, 2026. The EPA determined the rules comply with Clean Air Act requirements and will strengthen California's air quality plan.
• EPA approves District of Columbia negative declarations for air quality plans — The Environmental Protection Agency issued a final rule approving negative declarations submitted by the District of Columbia Department of Energy and Environment certifying that no existing large municipal waste combustors, crude oil and natural gas facilities, or electric utility generating units subject to Clean Air Act sections 111(d) and 129 exist within DC's jurisdiction. The approval codifies these declarations in 40 CFR Part 62, Subpart J, and becomes effective June 29, 2026. The EPA received one public comment challenging the procedural adequacy of the rulemaking, which the agency rejected.
• EPA approves New York source-specific air quality plan for Calpine JFK Energy Center boilers — The Environmental Protection Agency finalized approval of New York State's source-specific State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision for the Calpine JFK Energy Center at Kennedy International Airport. The EPA determined that nitrogen oxide (NOx) emission limits of 0.15 lb/MMBtu for natural gas and 0.25 lb/MMBtu for distillate oil, with a maximum of 24 tons per year on a rolling 12-month basis, satisfy Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) requirements under the Clean Air Act. The rule incorporates permit conditions 56, 57, and 58 into the federally enforceable SIP and becomes effective June 29, 2026.
• EPA approves New York State Implementation Plan revision for Athens Generating Plant nitrogen oxide emissions controls — The Environmental Protection Agency issued a final rule approving New York State's Source-Specific State Implementation Plan revision for the Athens Generating Plant in Athens, New York. The approval establishes Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) emission limits for nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from three combined-cycle combustion turbines at the facility. The EPA incorporated five permit conditions into the State Implementation Plan, requiring the facility to maintain existing emission controls (Selective Catalytic Reduction and Dry Low-NOx burners) and comply with specific NOx emission limits averaged over three-hour blocks, monitored continuously and reported semi-annually. The rule becomes effective June 29, 2026.
• EPA approves Pennsylvania SIP revision removing RACT condition from Philadelphia Gas Works Richmond Plant — The Environmental Protection Agency approved a state implementation plan revision submitted by Pennsylvania that removes a condition from the Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) Plan Approval for the Philadelphia Gas Works Richmond Plant. The removed condition, which required timing adjustment of three Caterpillar engines, was determined to have been mistakenly included and would damage the engines if implemented. The revision results in no change to emission allowances, as the engines remain subject to presumptive RACT requirements to operate in accordance with manufacturer specifications. The final rule becomes effective June 29, 2026.
• EPA approves South Carolina state plan for commercial and industrial solid waste incineration emissions control — The Environmental Protection Agency finalized approval of South Carolina's state plan for implementing and enforcing emissions guidelines applicable to existing Commercial and Industrial Solid Waste Incineration (CISWI) units. The plan, submitted December 19, 2014, and supplemented through November 5, 2019, establishes emission limits, monitoring, operating, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements for affected CISWI units constructed on or before June 4, 2010, or modified/reconstructed between June 4, 2010, and August 7, 2013. The approval incorporates South Carolina Code of Regulations chapter 61-62.60, Subpart DDDD by reference and becomes federally enforceable as of June 29, 2026.
• EPA approves Virginia air plan revision repealing petroleum refinery and appliance coating emission standards — The Environmental Protection Agency issued a final rule approving Virginia's State Implementation Plan (SIP) Revision B23, which repeals two existing stationary source emission standards from Virginia's air quality regulations: Article 11 (Emission Standards for Petroleum Refinery Operations) and Article 26 (Emissions Standards for Large Appliance Coating Application Systems). The EPA determined that repeal is appropriate because no petroleum refineries or large appliance coating facilities remain in Virginia. The rule becomes effective June 29, 2026. The EPA rejected a commenter's request for additional technical analysis and dismissed environmental justice concerns by citing rescinded executive orders on environmental justice.
• EPA determines Baltimore ozone nonattainment area attained 2015 standard; suspends planning requirements — The Environmental Protection Agency issued a final rule determining that the Baltimore, Maryland nonattainment area has attained the 2015 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard based on 2022–2024 ambient air quality monitoring data, excluding data impacted by exceptional wildfire events. As a result, the EPA is suspending requirements for Maryland to submit attainment demonstrations, reasonably available control measures, reasonable further progress plans, contingency measures, and related state implementation plans for as long as the area continues to meet the standard.
• EPA partially approves, partially disapproves Hawaii's regional haze implementation plan; rejects enforceable power-plant closures lacking utility consent due to takings concerns. — The Environmental Protection Agency issued a final rule partially approving and partially disapproving Hawaii's Regional Haze State Implementation Plan for the second implementation period, submitted August 2, 2024. The EPA approved baseline visibility calculations, progress metrics, and monitoring requirements but disapproved the long-term strategy requiring enforceable shutdown of six boiler units at generating stations on Hawaii and Maui islands. The disapproval rests on findings that Hawaiian Electric Company withdrew consent for these closures after initial submission, citing grid reliability risks; the EPA determined that approving unconsented closures without compensation could violate the Fifth Amendment Takings Clause and lacks necessary assurances required by Clean Air Act section 110(a)(2)(E)(i). The rule becomes effective June 29, 2026.
• EPA updates Idaho State Implementation Plan materials incorporated by reference and corrects typographical error — The Environmental Protection Agency finalized an administrative update to materials incorporated by reference into Idaho's State Implementation Plan under 40 CFR Part 52. The update reflects SIP materials submitted and approved by EPA since June 2025, affecting air pollution control regulations, permits, and compliance requirements. EPA also corrected a typographical error in a prior approval for P4 Production LLC facility in Soda Springs, changing an incorrect permit condition citation from "13.33" to "13.23."

Supporting reports

• Trump rescinded off-road vehicle restrictions on federal lands — President Trump issued an executive order rescinding Executive Orders 11644 (1972) and 11989 (1977), which had imposed criteria for designating off-road vehicle use on federal lands. The order directs the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture, the Secretary of War, the TVA Board, and other relevant agencies to initiate rulemakings to rescind or revise regulations implementing those prior orders. Trump's order characterizes the prior restrictions as vague, outdated, and barriers to energy production, timber harvesting, utility maintenance, and recreational access.
• Trump signed Executive Order 14408 rescinding off-road vehicle restrictions on federal lands — President Trump signed Executive Order 14408 on May 29, 2026, rescinding Executive Orders 11644 (1972) and 11989 (1977), which had established criteria for off-road vehicle use on federal lands. The order directs the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture, the Secretary of War, the TVA Board, and other relevant agencies to initiate rulemakings to rescind or revise regulations implementing those prior orders. The administration characterizes the prior orders as imposing "vague, subjective criteria" that create "barriers to energy and timber production" and "permit delays," and states the rescission will "facilitate" greater access and "multiple use benefits."
• White House issues fact sheet on executive order rescinding federal land access restrictions — The White House published a fact sheet on May 29, 2026, describing an executive order signed by President Trump that rescinds Executive Orders 11644 and 11989, which had imposed restrictions on off-road vehicle use on federal lands. The order directs federal agencies to rescind or revise regulations implementing those prior orders. The fact sheet states the rescission will "restore balanced land management" and increase access to federal lands for recreation, energy development, timber production, and infrastructure maintenance.
• Trump rescinded off-road vehicle restrictions on federal lands via Executive Order 14408 — President Trump signed Executive Order 14408 on May 29, 2026, rescinding Executive Orders 11644 (1972) and 11989 (1977), which had restricted off-road vehicle use on federal lands to minimize environmental and wildlife impacts. The order directs federal agencies to initiate rulemakings to replace the prior regulations with a framework permitting greater access and recreational use. The administration argues the prior orders imposed vague, subjective criteria that created barriers to energy production, timber harvesting, and utility maintenance while limiting public recreation.

Supporting reports

• EPA finalizes amendments to hydrofluorocarbon use restrictions under the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act — The Environmental Protection Agency finalized a rule amending restrictions on hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) use across multiple refrigeration and air conditioning subsectors. The rule extends compliance dates for semiconductor manufacturing equipment (to January 1, 2030), establishes graduated schedules for supermarket systems and cold storage warehouses (interim limits until January 1, 2032), adjusts temperature thresholds for intermodal refrigerated transport containers, extends deadlines for laboratory equipment, removes installation deadlines for residential AC/HP equipment manufactured before January 1, 2025, and allows modest cooling capacity increases in supermarket systems. The rule becomes effective July 27, 2026.