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Energy & Environment

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The Big Story

Trump EPA reconsiders Biden’s asbestos ban

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.

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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Essential Reads

How policy will affect the energy and environment sectors now and in the future:

Senate, House GOP poised for clash on green energy tax credits

The Senate’s more flexible approach to rolling back green energy subsidies is putting the upper chamber on a collision course with the conservative House Freedom Caucus.

Full Story

Trump administration proposes expansion of Arctic drilling

The Trump administration wants to open up more than 80 percent of a publicly owned area of the Western Arctic for oil and gas drilling.

Full Story

NAACP planning to sue Musk AI company over supercomputer pollution

The NAACP and an environmental group are planning to sue Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI, amid concerns that its supercomputer facility is prompting air pollution in Memphis, the groups announced Tuesday.

Full Story

What We’re Reading

News we’ve flagged from other outlets touching on energy issues, the environment and other topics:

Spain’s government blames huge blackout on grid regulator and private firms (BBC)
Trump’s quiet truce on California water (Politico)

On Tap

Upcoming news themes and events we’re watching:

Energy Secretary Chris Wright is slated to appear at Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on the Energy Department’s budget.
The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee will hold a hearing on modernizing the nation’s rail network.

What Others are Reading

Two key stories on The Hill right now:

Appeals panel scrutinizes judge’s block on Trump national guard deployment

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) got a frosty reception at a federal appeals court Tuesday afternoon as it scrutinized a lower judge’s ruling blocking President Trump’s federalization of the National Guard in Los Angeles. The three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit appeared inclined to let Trump maintain control of the guardsmen, weighing the scope of the president’s discretion in times of conflict and whether the courts have the authority to intervene at all. Read more

Noem taken to hospital after allergic reaction

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem was taken to a hospital on Tuesday after having an allergic reaction, according to the department. Read more