EPA Rollback Plan Threatens Billions in Savings and Thousands of Lives, Analysis Shows

The Trump administration’s proposed reversal of major U.S. Environmental Protection Agency pollution rules could lead to tens of thousands of premature deaths and erase hundreds of billions in annual health and climate benefits, according to an Associated Press analysis.

Seth Borenstein, M.K. Wildeman, Melina Walling, Joshua A. Bickel and Matthew Daly report for The Associated Press.

In short:

• The rollback targets EPA rules that were projected to prevent 30,000 deaths and save $275 billion annually by limiting pollutants from fossil fuel combustion.
• Trump’s EPA downplays or omits the health benefits of the rules while highlighting compliance costs, despite scientific analyses showing benefits far outweigh costs.
• Health experts warn that weakening these regulations will increase exposure to deadly fine particulate matter, smog, mercury, and other toxic pollutants.