Trump Gives Some Chemical Makers a 2-Year Break From Biden-Era Emissions Limits

President Donald Trump speaks at the White House on July 13, 2026. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty ImagesCertain chemical manufacturers were granted a two-year exemption from Biden-era emissions control requirements under a July 13 proclamation signed by President Donald Trump.The rules enacted during President Joe Biden’s administration were costly and unattainable, the president said. According to the proclamation, emissions standards issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2024 placed “substantial burdens” on chemical manufacturers whose products are vital to maintaining national security and economic stability.The 2024 rule requires testing and monitoring technologies that are not commercially available and would compel many facilities to either shut down or make massive capital investments to meet the compliance timeline, according to the proclamation.“A disruption of this capacity would weaken key supply chains, increase dependence on foreign producers, and impair our ability to respond effectively in a time of crisis.“These consequences would ripple across sectors vital to America’s growing industrial strength and emergency readiness,” the president said in his proclamation.The proclamation applies to manufacturers that produce chemicals used in semiconductor production, medical device sterilization, advanced manufacturing, and national defense systems, according to a White House fact sheet.It would allow those manufacturers to continue operating their facilities for two years under the emissions standards that were in place before the EPA’s 2024 standards.Trump has rescinded numerous Biden-era regulations since taking office for a second term last year, targeting provisions related to energy, climate, and immigration, among others.In May, Trump rolled back the former administration’s refrigerant restrictions, saying they drove up the cost of transporting refrigerated goods and increased grocery prices. The EPA said the 2024 refrigerant rules had restricted the type of refrigerants American businesses and households can use.The move is expected to lower grocery prices and transportation costs for refrigerated items, while reducing air-conditioning expenses in homes and businesses, according to the EPA. Administration officials estimated annual savings of $2.4 billion, including about $800 million from lower grocery prices, $100 million across industries, and about $1.5 billion in reduced transportation costs.The EPA also announced in February that it would repeal Biden-era rules that further limited mercury and hazardous air pollutant emissions from coal-fired power plants.The agency determined that the 2012 emissions standards already offered “an ample margin of safety” and that the Biden-era amendments were not necessary because there were no cost-effective developments in control technology.Travis Gillmore contributed to this report.