Trump EPA Rollbacks Would Cause Huge Harms To Public Health
NJ DEP Can Limit Impacts In New Jersey Via State DEP Enforcement
As reported yesterday by the New York Times, the Trump EPA is issuing blanket exemptions to the Clean Air Act for toxic air polluters. Trump himself will issue these exemptions, based only on an email request.
As I wrote yesterday, take a look at the list of EPA exemptions. And this is just the beginning.
The Murphy DEP can block these exemptions in New Jersey.
Air pollution permits in NJ are issued pursuant to the federal Clean Air Act AND the NJ State Air Pollution Control Act. NJ DEP implements a federally delegated program and an independent State program, which makes DEP the primary issuer and enforcer of air pollution permits.
NJ DEP can refuse to honor the Trump EPA exemptions and enforce NJ DEP State air permits.
This can be done by DEP via issuance of an enforcement advisory putting NJ polluters on notice that DEP will not honor the Trump EPA permit exemptions and instead enforce NJ DEP State air permits.
There are other DEP regulatory and legislative ways to do this, including an Executive Order or Emergency Declaration by Governor Murphy.
I wrote to Murphy DEP Commissioner LaTourette and legislators yesterday demand that he act immediately to protect NJ’s health and environment by blocking the Trump EPA rollbacks – I urge my readers to do the same.
[End Note: This can be done by environmental Agencies in virtually all States with a Democratic Governor. This should be the national strategy and I can’t understand why it isn’t. Do the Dems and Big Green have their heads up their asses or what?
———- Original Message ———-
From: Bill WOLFE <b>
To: “shawn.latourette@dep.nj.gov” <shawn.latourette@dep.nj.gov>
Cc: senbsmith <SenBSmith@njleg.org>, sengreenstein <sengreenstein@njleg.org>, “senmckeon@njleg.org” <senmckeon@njleg.org>, “senzwicker@njleg.org” <senzwicker@njleg.org>, “Hansen, Eric” <EHansen@njleg.org>
Date: 03/27/2025 3:04 PM EDT
Subject: DEP Enforcement Advisory To Block EPA Exemptions
Dear Commissioner LaTourette:
As you know, the Trump EPA is allowing exemptions to several Clean Air Act regulatory requirements pursuant to Section 112(i)(4), including for hazardous air pollutants, (see EPA exemption program:
As you know, there are many major emission sources in NJ subject to regulations EPA is allowing exemptions for.
In order to protect public health, I strongly urge you to issue enforcement guidance to all NJ regulated sources to prohibit NJ DEP recognition of any EPA approved exemptions.
As you know, air permits to NJ sources are issued under both NJ State and federal laws and regulations. The Clean Air Act authorizes States to issue more stringent State requirements.
I look forward to your immediate action.
Bill Wolfe