In 2024, the Biden administration introduced sweeping regulations to protect communities near petrochemical plants from harmful air pollutants. These regulations aimed to reduce the release of toxic chemicals like toluene, ethylene oxide, and vinyl chloride—substances linked to serious health risks such as cancer and reproductive issues. However, the Trump administration has since granted exemptions to numerous polluting facilities and is working to rewrite the rule, significantly weakening its protections. The HON rule, a key part of the Biden administration’s effort to tighten air pollution standards, was celebrated by residents in Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley,” a region near the Mississippi River where pollution risks are disproportionately high. The HON rule—short for Hazardous Organic National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants—required petrochemical plants to upgrade pollution control equipment and install air monitors at their fencelines to track emissions of several harmful chemicals. It also addressed a long-standing loophole that allowed plants to bypass emissions rules during shutdowns or startups, which has become increasingly relevant due to climate change and more frequent extreme weather events. The rule was expected to prevent 6,200 tons of toxic air pollution annually and significantly reduce cancer risks for people living near these facilities. Since President Donald Trump began his second term, his administration has moved to weaken the HON rule, granting exemptions to over 70 petrochemical facilities and proposing a rewrite of the regulation. These changes, justified under a rarely used Clean Air Act provision, claim to protect national security and the chemical industry’s ability to operate. However, environmental advocates argue that the exemptions are based on unproven claims and will increase health risks for communities already exposed to high levels of pollution. The Trump administration’s actions have also included rolling back other air toxics rules introduced by the Biden administration, including those targeting emissions from steelmaking and tire manufacturing. Environmental and health experts warn that the rollback of these regulations could lead to increased sickness and deaths, contradicting the Trump administration’s claim of “Making America Healthy Again.” Advocacy groups, including Concerned Citizens of St. John and RISE St. James Louisiana, have sued the administration over the exemptions, arguing that they are a pretext to avoid compliance with the HON rule. Meanwhile, the EPA has also proposed undoing a safety rule that empowered workers to halt dangerous operations and required chemical facilities to prepare for natural disasters. These changes, critics say, leave communities more vulnerable to catastrophic accidents like the 1984 Bhopal disaster in India, where a chemical leak killed thousands.