Congress Lets Thousands of the Worst Polluters Turn Off Clean Air Protections 

In an overnight vote, the Republican-led House of Representatives approved to let thousands of the nation’s worst polluters shut off pollution controls for some of the most dangerous air toxics. For the first time in 50 years, Congress repealed a Clean Air Act rule used to protect public health. The vote was taken under the Congressional Review Act (CRA), which allows Congress to repeal federal laws with a simple majority vote.

Roughly 1,800 facilities including chemical plants, refineries, and pesticide manufacturers can now “reclassify” themselves as minor polluters and stop controlling, monitoring, or reporting toxic emissions. They can disconnect pollution controls for seven of the most dangerous air toxics, including mercury, dioxins, and PCBs, which are linked to birth defects, developmental harm and cancers. These chemicals accumulate in the body and pose severe risks to pregnant women, infants, and children.

“To further inflate their profits, chemical plants and refineries asked to turn off their chemical smoke controls, and the Senate and House said yes,” said Patrice Simms, vice president of Healthy Communities at Earthjustice. “Congress decided that protecting powerful polluters mattered more than protecting people from disease. Now, kids and families across the country will be breathing the most potent toxic chemicals, while corporations save money.”

This CRA vote passed 216–212. All Democrats and one Republican opposed it. The Republican-led Senate approved the same resolution earlier this month.