Trump Administration Exempted 180+ Polluters from Clean Air Act with Simple Email Request

The Trump administration in March 2025 offered a sweeping deregulatory deal to coal-fired power plants, chemical manufacturers, and other industrial facilities: Exemptions from critical Clean Air Act provisions could be secured with nothing more than an email.

No formal applications were required. No scientific review was mandated. Simply send a message to a dedicated inbox by the end of the month, and relief from costly compliance obligations would follow. The offer was open to any facility willing to ask.

Within two weeks, executives from major industries inundated the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with requests. At least 3,000 pages of emails were exchanged between industry representatives, the EPA, and the White House in the weeks that followed. ProPublica obtained these records through public records requests, providing the most comprehensive view yet of a central component of what the Trump EPA has called “the biggest deregulatory action in U.S. history.”

How the Exemption Process Worked

The EPA established a streamlined process for handling exemption requests. Facilities submitted emails outlining their need for regulatory relief, often citing financial burdens or operational challenges. The White House then issued proclamations granting approvals—without input from EPA scientists—citing a rarely used authority under the Clean Air Act that had never before been applied in this manner.

By the end of the process, more than 180 facilities across 38 states had secured exemptions, exposing millions of Americans to potentially higher levels of harmful air pollution.

Case Studies: Who Got Exemptions and Why

Scrubgrass Reclamation Company: Bitcoin Mining Powered by Coal Waste

Richard Shaffer, asset manager at Scrubgrass Reclamation Company, submitted a request for an exemption covering a western Pennsylvania power plant that burns coal waste. The plant supplies a significant portion of its electricity to bitcoin mining operations.

In his email, Shaffer argued that keeping environmental compliance costs low was essential “for the security of the United States.”

Eleven days later, the White House responded with a presidential proclamation: Approved.

Citgo Petroleum Corporation: Refineries with Recent Violations Seek Relief

Citgo Petroleum Corporation, through its lawyer Ann Al-Bahish, requested exemptions for petroleum refineries in Illinois, Louisiana, and Texas—facilities that had recently faced Clean Air Act violations. The EPA had previously determined that the rule in question “would provide critical health protections to hundreds of thousands of people living near chemical plants.”

Citgo noted that it had agreed to install new pollution controls to address some of its violations, but sought further relief through the exemption process. The White House approved all three requests in July proclamations.

Sterigenics: Nine Facilities Emitting Carcinogenic Gas

Kevin Wagner, vice president of medical sterilizer company Sterigenics, requested exemptions for nine facilities emitting ethylene oxide, a known carcinogen. These facilities were located near Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, Charlotte, and Atlanta.

Federal data shows that more than 45,000 people—most of them not white—live within a mile of these facilities, raising concerns about disproportionate health impacts in marginalized communities.

All nine exemption requests were approved in July proclamations.

Neither Scrubgrass Reclamation Company, Citgo Petroleum Corporation, nor Sterigenics responded to ProPublica’s requests for comment.

Consequences: Deregulation Without Scientific Review

The Trump administration’s exemption process bypassed standard regulatory scrutiny. The White House did not consult EPA scientists before granting approvals, instead relying on a previously unused interpretation of Clean Air Act authority. This approach prioritized industry cost savings over public health protections established by the landmark environmental law.

With over 180 facilities now operating under relaxed rules, the long-term impact on air quality and public health remains a critical concern for environmental advocates and affected communities.