3 days ago
Judges grill Trump admin over ‘blurry' defense of toxics rule
The Trump administration defended most aspects of a Biden-era EPA toxics rule, the first of its kind to appear in court for oral arguments.
The judges might toss it anyway.
'This is a very, very, very stringent regulation,' Judge Edith Jones, appointed by former President Ronald Reagan, said during arguments in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit on Tuesday morning.
Advertisement
The rule restricts uses of methylene chloride, a cancer-causing chemical famed for its efficacy as a paint stripper. Finalized in April 2024, the rule bans roughly half of the uses EPA assessed under the Toxic Substances Control Act, while instituting stricter workplace protections for others.
