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As Trump administration eases EPA regulations, Houston could pay a price

Washington — Since President Trump took office in January, his Environmental Protection Agency has been both slashing and reconsidering dozens of rules designed to fight pollution. The White House is also firing many of the EPA staffers who enforce the rules that remain. 

This week, CBS News visited a Houston neighborhood that’s near an NRG Energy coal-fired power plant, the largest in Texas. 

When CBS News visited the same neighborhood in December, Mr. Trump had just been elected to a second term, promising the energy industry that he would roll back environmental regulations that protect air quality. 

“I think of pollution as a silent and invisible killer,” Dr. Winston Liaw, chair of the Health Systems and Population Health Sciences Department at the University of Houston, told CBS News.

Liaw treats patients who run a higher risk of lung disease, asthma and heart attacks due to emissions from oil refineries, chemical plants and coal plants in the Houston area. 

He explained how the air in Houston can impact human health.

“There are these tiny particles, and they’re so small that they bypass a lot of our defenses,” Liaw said. “And then they start injuring all sorts of tissue in our body.”

A 2018 study from Rice University found that pollution from the NRG plant contributes to 177 premature deaths per year. 

In April, the Trump administration gave 68 plants — including the NRG plant in the Rice study — a two-year exemption from complying with federal regulations intended to lower mercury emissions, a powerful toxin that can affect the brain.

CBS News analyzed the Trump administration’s exemptions and found that nearly 65% of these plants are located within 3 miles of low-income, minority communities.  

“Bottom line is, who’s more at risk are poor people,” said Ben Jealous, executive director of the Sierra Club, an environmental advocacy group that has led an effort to try and close almost two-thirds of the nation’s coal plants.

“When you start increasing production of coal-fired power plants, you’re going to kill more people, and you’re going to cause more heart attacks, and you’re going to cause more asthma attacks,” Jealous said.

In a statement provided to CBS News, NRG Energy said its “coal units operate in compliance with the current Mercury Air Toxics Standards (MATS) and will operate in compliance with any future MATS requirements.”

In a separate statement, the Trump administration said Biden-era coal plant regulations “stacked burdensome regulations on top of the longstanding Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, raising the risk of coal-fired plants shutting down – which would eliminate thousands of jobs, strain our electrical grid, and undermine our national security by leaving America vulnerable to electricity shortages.” 

Jealous argues that coal is not a more reliable energy source than renewable energies.

“The argument that coal gives you more reliable energy isn’t valid,” Jealous said. “Solar, wind and batteries gives you the most reliable, the most resilient grid.”

More importantly, he said, for the people of Houston and across the country, renewable energy means less pollution. 

David Schechter

David Schechter is a national environmental correspondent and the host of “On the Dot with David Schechter,” a guided journey to explore how we’re changing the earth and earth is changing us.

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The Silent Revolution: How Electric Cars Are Quietly Cleaning Cities

Electric vehicles do more than cut carbon, they’re quietly transforming the way cities breathe, move and grow. Unsplash+

Electric vehicles (EVs) are rapidly becoming a cornerstone of sustainable urban life, improving air quality and lowering transportation-related emissions. More than a cleaner alternative to internal combustion (ICE) vehicles, EVs are reshaping how cities reduce pollution, improve public health and adapt to climate change. In 2023 alone, global EV sales grew by 35 percent, with U.S. sales rising by more than 40 percent, signaling a dramatic acceleration in adoption. This silent revolution is backed by policy mandates, cost incentives and growing public demand for cleaner transportation options.

EVs significantly reduce air pollutants like nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and particulate matter in cities. Studies have shown that regions with high EV penetration see measurable improvements in local air quality, contributing to improved public health outcomes. For residents in high-traffic neighborhoods, this shift means fewer tailpipe emissions on their block, cleaner air to breathe and fewer respiratory issues tied to pollution.

Among the biggest advantages of electric vehicles is how efficiently they use energy. Gas-powered cars waste most of their fuel as heat—only about 12 percent to 30 percent actually moves the car. In contrast, EVs use over 75 percent of their energy to power the wheels. That means less waste and more mileage from the same amount of energy. Even when electricity comes from fossil fuels, EVs are still cleaner overall. On average, they deliver the emissions equivalent of 70 to 180 miles per gallon—far beyond what any gas car can match.

There are valid concerns about the carbon cost of battery manufacturing. Producing a typical EV battery emits between 2,400 and 16,000 kg of CO₂. This broad range can be attributed to numerous factors such as battery size, manufacturing location, energy sources used in production and the efficiency of supply chain and material extraction processes. On the flip side, the average gas-powered car emits roughly 43,500 kg of CO₂ over a standard 150,000-mile lifespan, a massive multiplier. Even in the worst-case scenario—battery production combined with coal-generated electricity—EVs still generate less lifetime carbon than ICE vehicles. In regions using cleaner energy mixes like solar or hydro, EV emissions can drop to less than half that of their gasoline counterparts.

Ownership costs also favor EVs. A 2024 Atlas Public Policy study found that EVs can save owners between $7,000 and $11,000 across the lifetime of the vehicle due to reduced fuel and maintenance costs. With fewer moving parts and regenerative braking systems, EVs have lower service requirements compared to ICE vehicles. While insurance premiums can be higher, the total cost of ownership is increasingly favorable, especially as battery prices fall and competition among automakers increases.

Range anxiety remains a barrier to adoption, but charging infrastructure is expanding rapidly. Public and private investment is increasing the number of fast-charging stations across the U.S., as more than 200,000 public charging ports are now available across the country, according to the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation. In cities, the growth of on-street and garage charging stations is making EV ownership more practical for apartment dwellers and those without private driveways. Still, rural communities face slower rollout, and their EV adoption lags behind urban areas by 40 percent in the U.S. as a result. However, these areas often have the advantage of higher homeownership rates and detached housing, making it easier to install home chargers.

Policy also plays a critical role in accelerating adoption. Governments worldwide are introducing mandates to phase out gas cars, alongside incentives like tax credits, rebates and infrastructure grants. The EU plans to phase out new ICE vehicle sales by 2035, and China’s New Energy Vehicle policy aims to have EVs comprise 40 percent of all car sales by 2030, setting the pace for global EV adoption. In the U.S., the Inflation Reduction Act provides up to $7,500 in federal tax credits for eligible EVs, while states and cities add further benefits. At the city level, these policies can directly translate into cleaner bus routes, low-emission zones and incentives for residents to make the switch—shaping healthier, quieter neighborhoods in the process. Major hubs like New York and Los Angeles are electrifying bus fleets, enforcing low-emission zones and providing grants to small businesses that switch to electric delivery vans.

While battery supply chains, recycling and infrastructure equity remain ongoing challenges, the cumulative data support EVs as a cornerstone of sustainable urban transportation. The shift toward electric mobility is not only reshaping the automotive industry—it is redefining how cities combat pollution, adapt to climate change and build long-term resilience.



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Is pollution from the steel industry behind cancer rates in Gary, Indiana?

Doctors, environmental groups and residents are trying to figure out if there is a causal connection between pollutants from the steel industry and rates of cancer in Gary, Indiana.

Pollutants you can see, and tiny particulates you can’t, come from different types of industry in the Gary region. But according to Environmental Protection Agency records, steel production plants release the most toxins of all the industries in the region.

Beryl Fitzpatrick is one of the residents affected. You can hear the cancer as she speaks.

“I was having trouble swallowing,” she recalled.

Fitzpatrick was diagnosed with Stage 3 tongue cancer. She didn’t know if she would ever speak again after doctors removed part of her tongue while removing a cancerous tumor, but she fought to keep her voice.

“I had to learn phonics. I had to learn, I had to learn words and sounds,” she said. “It was humbling.”

And she knows the very air in her own backyard could be playing a role in her disease.

“It’s almost certain that her place of residence, with the high pollution and other industrial output contributed to her cancer,” said Dr. Kerstin Stenson, lead of the head and neck cancer program at Rush University Medical Center who’s been treating Fitzpatrick.

The City of Gary was built by the steel industry, but when families like Fitzpatrick’s moved to the region in droves from the South during the Great Migration for jobs and opportunities, they didn’t know as much as we do now about the health risks linked to industrial production.

“A lot of the teachers would talk about students that had asthma,” Fitzpatrick said.

Seven major coal-powered steel production plants operate in the United States. Three plants are clustered in the Gary region: Burns Harbor, Gary Works and Indiana Harbor.

CBS News Chicago Investigators dug into state and federal data from the Environmental Protection Agency to see how these facilities impact the community.

Our investigation found that in 2023, the latest data available, the three mills emitted 25 million pounds of toxins, more industrial pollution than the combined toxic release of the four similar mills in other states.

“We do not need to sacrifice health and communities to make steel,” said Hilary Lewis, a director of Industrial Labs.

Industrial Labs, a nonprofit environmental organization, released a report in October 2024 detailing its findings on the steel industry’s impact on the community.

“The people in Northwest Indiana are bearing the brunt of the coal-based steel industry today,” she said.

The study found people living near one steel production facility have a 12% to 26% higher risk of getting cancer. People in Gary live near three.

And cancer isn’t the only health risk associated with this kind of industrial exposure.

Industrial Labs’ study found people living in Gary are in the top 10% of the nation at risk for developing asthma. Even Gary Mayor Eddie Melton grew up with asthma, and the irony of the steel industry that built the city now being the thing making people sick is not lost on him.

“I mean, that’s a stark reality that a lot of folks have to deal with,” Melton said.

The mayor wants this dealt with, in part, by toughening toxic emissions standards. But that may not happen; in March, the federal EPA announced it’s considering lowering some standards polluters must meet.

“What we’re seeing from a federal and state government concerns me, in terms of rolling back the regulations on industries such as the steel industry, and other industries,” Mayor Melton said.

Gary already fails to meet federal air quality standards. Lake County, Indiana has more toxic releases than 99% of all other counties across the country, and the state ranks second in the nation for the most industrial pollution released per square mile.

So what is the EPA doing for the people of Gary?

“They’re responsible for protecting clean air,” Lewis said. “And right now, they’re not doing that.”

CBS News Chicago Investigatiors dug into EPA records dating back to 1977 and found that since then the EPA took 152 formal actions against the steel production facilities. Nearly half of those actions were for violating the Clean Air Act. For those air pollution violations, regulators issued more than $23 million in penalties paid by the parent companies.

“If you’re a multi-billion-dollar corporation, fees and fines probably are just a drop in the bucket for you,” Melton said.

Both the state and federal EPA declined interviews but sent statements saying they act when facilities are out of compliance, and those actions have reduced air emissions.

Fitzpatrick lives about 43 blocks from the largest steel mill in the nation, and we found they released more pollutants than any other steel or iron mill tracked by the EPA across the country.

More than half the industrial pollution in Lake County comes from Gary Works, which is owned by U.S Steel.

U.S. Steel declined an interview, but responded to questions by email, saying the EPA’s data includes byproducts “legally emitted,” and said they have systems in place to comply with environmental regulations.

In regards to the Industrial Labs report, U.S. Steel said it was “designed to create media attention rather than reach any scientific conclusions.”

Fitzpatrick has lived in Gary for 60 of her 71 years, never fully knowing what she was exposed to.

“I didn’t think I was living a lifestyle that was polluting my body,” she said.

She wasn’t. Dr. Stenson said Fitzpatrick doesn’t have the typical risk factors for her cancer. And she’s not alone.

“There are many patients that have come from that industrial area that would present with head and neck cancer without risk factors,” Stenson said.

Gary has been notorious for its pollution for decades.

Dr. Mihir Bhayani, also at Rush University Medical Center, is getting closer to directly linking air pollution and some cancers. The new research he is working on could force change.

“What we are working on currently is, again, a direct causal link between air pollution and head and neck cancer,” he said.

He believes steel mills are making people sick in Gary, and he wants to see emissions standards toughened.

“So that individuals who are living in those areas, they’re exposed to the same clean air that individuals who are living in more affluent areas are,” he said.

“The types of communities that this industry is impacting are disproportionately people of color and low-income communities,” said Lewis.

More than 76% of Gary’s population is Black, and the average income is less than $23,000 a year.

About four hours away from Gary by car is the steel plant in Middletown, Ohio. It’s getting a major portion of a $500 million federal grant to change the steel-making process and cut hazardous pollution in that city, which has an average income of $30,000 a year and is 73% white.

Fitzpatrick believes more would be done to keep the air clean and her community healthy if Gary’s demographics were different.

“I am worthy. No matter what you think about my Black skin, my dark skin, I’m worthy. I’m worthy for this community to be cleaned up and I am a person worthy of a good life,” she said.

Gary and other communities found to be disproportionately impacted by pollution were getting extra help from the federal EPA’s Environmental Justice office, but in April it was labeled a DEI program and shut down.

If nothing is done, Bhayani said, there will be long-term effects on people living in communities like Gary.

“They are going to have higher rates of cancer. They’re going to have higher rates of cardiac disease. They’re going to have high rates of lung disease,” Bhayani said.

That’s why Fitzgerald, who fought for her voice while still battling the disease that nearly took it, said she’ll do whatever it takes to make change here so that it can be different for someone else.

“As long as I have breath and I can breathe and I have strength to get up, I’m going to join other people, like-minded people. We’re going to fight. We’re going to fight,” she said.

Cleveland Cliffs, which owns two of the plants in Northwest Indiana, did not return messages from CBS News Chicago Investigators. U.S. Steel maintains its work is essential to the health of the American economy.

But Fitzgerald and others who live there worry about their own health, and they’re asking lawmakers to step up and join their fight for cleaner air.

The CBS News Race & Culture Unit and CBS News Data team contributed to this report.

FULL STATEMENTS

U.S. Steel

On whether they have studied the impact of releases from Gary Works and the health effects, including cancer and asthma, in the community:

“In 2020, the EPA deemed that there was an ample margin of safety around iron and steel emissions to protect public health and prevent adverse environmental effects.”

It is important to note that there are many industrial facilities in Northwest Indiana. Focusing solely on Gary Works as a source of pollution is both incorrect and irresponsible.

On the study released by Industrial Labs:

“It is clear that these conclusions were pre-determined by a group that describes itself as ‘scaling campaigns and building a movement to clean up heavy industry’, which is to say that this document is designed to create media attention rather than reach any scientific conclusions. There are certain interests campaigning to eliminate U.S.-based blast furnaces, which are essential to national security and the health of America’s economy because they are the only facilities capable of making certain types and qualities of steels required for critical applications.”

On residents believing toxic releases would not be allowed at the same level in more affluent communities with different demographics:

“Federal and state emissions laws and regulations apply equally to any municipality in the same jurisdiction. Gary, Indiana, is no exception. We care deeply about the communities where we live and work, as evidenced by the contributions by the Company and our employees. Since 2020, U. S. Steel Gary Works and its employees have donated over $1.3 million dollars to community organizations and efforts. In addition, our dedicated employees volunteer countless hours of their time to organizations and schools across the area. Our more than 3,400 Gary Works employees put safety and environmental compliance first. We are proud of their work and the Northwest Indiana community we call home.”

“In addition to our spend on environmental compliance and community investment and engagement, we were the only U.S. Metals, Minerals and Mining company recognized as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies for 2025– the fourth consecutive year we received this designation. It is a testament to our commitment to ethical conduct and compliance.” 

“Gary Works was built in 1908, and the city was built around it. Any notion that we select certain areas to operate because of their demographics is wholly incorrect.”

On state and federal EPA fines, violations and consent decrees:

“U. S. Steel spends more than $80 million annually on environmental controls in Indiana as part of its commitment to environmental excellence. The EPA’s Toxic Release Inventory, from which this data is drawn, includes manufacturing byproducts that are legally emitted under the EPA’s stringent regulations and those which are legally disposed of in permitted landfills. As the nation’s largest integrated steelmaking facility, it is common sense that U. S. Steel’s Gary Works will have more legally allowed releases than smaller iron or steel mills in the country.”

 Additional comment on emissions controls and other projects:

“U. S. Steel has robust systems and emissions control equipment at all levels of the steelmaking process to adhere to environmental regulations.

At Gary Works, our processes and environmental controls are monitored extensively by our teams. Third parties are also used for sampling water and for opacity observation to ensure compliance with regulations.

Our partnership with CarbonFree is one of the ways we’re working to reduce emissions. This carbon capture and utilization project will help us reduce greenhouse gas emissions by converting emissions to calcium carbonate, which is used in a variety of products for consumers and industry.  Gary Works also produces Pig Iron, an important feedstock for U. S. Steel’s electric arc furnaces. The Company is on track to meet its goal of 20% greenhouse gas emissions reduction by 2030 goal and has a goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.”

Indiana Department of Environmental Management

IDEM is not a health agency nor a legislative body. IDEM is also not involved in local zoning decisions that determine where businesses are located.

 IDEM is responsible for implementing and enforcing existing federal and state environmental regulations. This includes issuing operating permits that ensure businesses comply with applicable environmental standards and conducting routine inspections to monitor compliance. When facilities are found to be out of compliance, IDEM can initiate enforcement actions or refer cases for further legal or administrative review.

 The U.S. EPA does require states to submit a state implementation plan (SIP) for areas in nonattainment within its borders. You can find more information on the SIPs for Lake and Porter counties here: https://www.in.gov/idem/sips/

 In 2013, IDEM conducted an assessment of air toxics in the industrialized area of Lake and Porter County. The complete Lakeshore Air Toxics Study is available here: https://www.in.gov/idem/toxic/studies/lakeshore-air-toxics-study. The study found air toxics concentrations and risk within the lakeshore area to be similar to comparable communities, and the most significant risk is attributable to mobile sources (motor vehicles). In the time since the study, technological advances and pollution prevention strategies have led to a further decline in industrial emissions.

 We recognize that air quality is a deeply important issue for Northwest Indiana residents and remain committed to our responsibilities under the Clean Air Act and other applicable laws. For more specific responses to questions involving federal enforcement actions, health data, or proposed changes to emission standards, we encourage you to follow up directly with the U.S. EPA.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA is fulfilling its mission to protect human health and the environment. The agency works with our state partners to ensure industrial facilities comply with all environmental laws and regulations.

 EPA performs on-site and off-site inspections to ensure compliance. If noncompliance is found, EPA takes action. EPA has issued three recent Clean Air Act enforcement settlements, which have significantly reduced air emissions. In Burns Harbor, Cleveland Cliffs BOF steel making shop and Phoenix Global slag processing companies and in Gary, the U.S. Steel Gary Works’ blast furnace have all decreased particulate matter and metal hazardous air pollutants to the atmosphere. Our state partner, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, also conducts inspections and enforcement actions.

 Previous compliance and enforcement work, including inspections and enforcement activity, can be found in EPA’s ECHO system. You can search by location or by facility. Keep in mind that the integrated iron and steel mills that you reference may have contractors on site that have separate permits and emissions reporting.

The northern portions of Lake and Porter Counties are part of a larger Chicago area that was found to be out of compliance with the ground-level ozone (or “smog”) standard.  Ozone high in the atmosphere protects people from harmful ultraviolet rays but at ground-level it can trigger a variety of health problems, such as lung irritation.

To learn more about attainment areas, visit our website.

Tara Molina

Tara Molina is a general assignment reporter for CBS2 Chicago.

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Republicans propose gutting Biden climate bill for Trump tax cuts

House Republicans Wednesday moved forward with a tax bill to cut billions of dollars in climate-related funding, reduce regulations, and prematurely phase out clean energy tax credits as part of President Trump’s, “One, Big, Beautiful Bill.” 

The heart of the Republican budget legislation targets key climate and energy provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act.

Cuts would impact businesses and consumers, affecting renewable energy, manufacturing, energy efficiency, and electric vehicles. Concurrently, House Republicans proposed streamlining permitting for fossil fuels, rescinding Clean Air Act pollution funding, and allocating $2 billion to the strategic petroleum reserve. 

The Inflation Reduction Act has led to $321 billion worth of climate investment being completed, with $522 billion worth of investments still in process, according to a report from the Clean Investment Monitor. Congress was tasked with finding $1.5 trillion in spending cuts to fund President Trump’s tax cuts.

House Republicans are hoping to have a floor vote next week prior to Memorial Day, after which the bill will go to the Senate.  

Four Republican Senators wrote a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune cautioning the caucus against a “full-scale repeal” of tax credits, adding that repealing credits would be disruptive to businesses which had made investments based on the Inflation Reduction Act’s tax framework. They also added that cuts would lead to higher energy costs. 

Twenty-one House Republicans wrote a similar letter in March urging against cuts to energy credits from the Inflation Reduction Act. A 2024 CBS News report found that over 80% of Inflation Reduction Act spending and tax credits went towards Republican congressional districts. 

Environmental groups and renewable energy companies have been on Capitol Hill lobbying to protect tax credits they say are vital to support new industries. Raghu Belur, co-founder of Enphase Energy, a solar components manufacturer, expected changes to the IRA, but didn’t expect them to go this far. 

“I thought there would be a glide path, I thought there would be a reasonable transition period. Instead it’s become very abrupt,” he told CBS News.

His company has manufacturing facilities in South Carolina and Texas, made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act. But Belur also worries about the downstream effects on businesses that have formed around renewable energy, like solar installers, which tend to be small businesses.

Among their concerns, Belur and the Solar Energy Industries Association have been focusing on the importance of a tax credit that helps homeowners to finance solar projects. The GOP budget proposal would abruptly end the credit at the end of 2025. The credit was previously slated to be phased out by 2034. He says the credits help support customer demand for nascent businesses, and that the renewable energy sector finally had momentum that should be supported as promised at this stage of their industry.

“Fossil fuels have been receiving subsidies for the last 100-plus years,” Belur told CBS News. “I always believe that subsidies must be a catalyst, not a crutch, we are not asking for an infinite extension of this.”

The Solar Energy Industries Association, a trade group, estimates that 75% of the affected credits and spending cuts would affect local economies in Republican districts. 

“At a time when billions of dollars are being invested in states that overwhelmingly voted for President Trump, this proposed legislation will effectively dismantle the most successful industrial onshoring effort in U.S. history,” the group said in a statement. 

Several tax credits and incentives are set to be phased out early or end, impacting a wide range of projects, including solar, geothermal, nuclear, wind, and hydrogen. The $7,500 electric vehicle tax credit that President Trump campaigned against will be ended, as well as manufacturing credits to produce electric vehicles. 

Funding for other Inflation Reduction Act initiatives are also projected to be cut. Republican Rep. Brett Guthrie, the House Energy and Commerce Committee chair, wrote in an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal this week that the cuts would include $6.5 billion of unspent Inflation Reduction Act funding that is earmarked for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Green House Gas Reduction Fund, clean pollution reduction, clean ports, and environmental justice grants.

Evan Chapman, senior director of policy at Clean Tomorrow, a nonpartisan clean energy advocacy group, believes the version of the budget proposed by the GOP would make it harder to quickly increase energy production through renewables, and could lead American renewable energy industries to fall behind the rest of the world.

“This is largely a repeal of the inflation Reduction Act,” Chapman told CBS News. “What this bill will do is reduce the availability of energy, increase costs for energy that’s coming on the grid, and make it more difficult to pull innovative American technologies that will produce clean energy towards the market.”

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