The Big Story 

The Trump administration will reconsider a Biden-era regulation that aims to ban or phase out ongoing uses of asbestos, revealing its plans regarding the rule in a court filing Monday.

© Photo by Jenny Evans/Getty Images

The filing did not provide additional details on what changes the Trump administration could make, if any, but not much was done to tackle the issue during Trump’s first term.

Exposure to asbestos causes lung cancer and mesothelioma, a rare cancer that occurs in the lining of the lung, chest and the abdomen and heart. Asbestos-related diseases are estimated to kill thousands of Americans each year. 

Last year, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said it would require companies to phase out their uses of a type of asbestos known as chrysotile asbestos, which is the only known type of asbestos used in the U.S.

Under its rule, companies making automotive breaks would have six months to stop making products with asbestos, while other industries would have more time. Most sheet gaskets, a type of seal, that contain asbestos will be banned after two years, while the chlor-alkali sector, which makes chemicals like chlorine for treating water, would have up to 12 years to make the change.

The chemical industry sued the EPA over the rule. When Trump took office, his administration asked the court to pause the case while it decided what it wanted to do. 

The administration now says it plans to reconsider the Biden rule through a formal rulemaking process. It said this process, “including any regulatory changes,” could take about 2 1/2 years.

Read more at TheHill.com.

Welcome to The Hill’s Energy & Environment newsletter, I’m Rachel Frazin — keeping you up to speed on the policies impacting everything from oil and gas to new supply chains.

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What We’re Reading 

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On Tap 

Upcoming news themes and events we’re watching:

What Others are Reading 

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