Trump EPA Weakens Pollution Rules for National Parks

Conservationists warn the agency is paving the way for more haze over beloved wilderness areas.

Mar. 24, 2026 at 1:20am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Trump administration's Environmental Protection Agency has weakened federal regulations that have helped clear the air over national parks and wilderness areas across the U.S. over the last 25 years. The EPA has approved state plans that don't require coal plants to install additional pollution controls, as long as visibility benchmarks are met, even if plants are still polluting. Conservationists argue this "backdoor" approach threatens air quality in parks like Shenandoah, the Great Smoky Mountains, and Mammoth Cave.

Why it matters

The regional haze rule has been credited with significantly reducing sulfur and smog emissions in national parks and wilderness areas since it took effect in 1999. Conservationists say the Trump EPA's rollback of these regulations puts these natural treasures at risk of increased air pollution and haze.

The details

The EPA has approved state plans in West Virginia, California, Hawaii, and Colorado that don't require coal plants to install additional pollution controls, as long as visibility benchmarks are met. This is a reversal from the previous administration, which had rejected some of these plans as insufficient. Conservationists argue this new policy allows plants to continue polluting without making necessary upgrades.

  • In 2025, the EPA under the Trump administration announced it would look to roll back the regional haze rule.
  • In early 2025, the EPA initially rejected West Virginia's plan for not requiring enough coal plants to assess their pollution controls.
  • Six months later, the Trump EPA approved West Virginia's plan, adopting a new policy that state plans are good enough if visibility improvements exceed projections.
  • In 2024, the Biden-era EPA planned to reject California's plan, but the Trump EPA approved it in 2025 because visibility was meeting benchmarks.

The players

Ulla Reeves

Director of the National Parks Conservation Association's clean air program.

Joshua Smith

Attorney for the Sierra Club.

Michael Ogletree

Senior director of state air quality programs in Colorado.

Jim Schaberl

Former air and water quality manager at Shenandoah National Park.

Lee Zeldin

EPA Administrator under the Trump administration.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“They're blessing states that haven't done a good enough job and they're dramatically changing course on states like West Virginia, like California, like Hawaii, like Colorado. They're using these reversals and those changes to achieve their agenda of letting polluting facilities stay online.”

— Ulla Reeves, Director of the National Parks Conservation Association's clean air program

“We view this (new policy) as a backdoor way to kick the can down the road.”

— Joshua Smith, Attorney for the Sierra Club

“EPA's action is not based on a failure to meet regional haze requirements or visibility protections, which Colorado continues to meet.”

— Michael Ogletree, Senior director of state air quality programs in Colorado

“To try to resurrect coal is like digging up a grave, and this administration wants to dig up that grave. It's nonsensical and, I think, lawless.”

— Jim Schaberl, Former air and water quality manager at Shenandoah National Park

What’s next

The National Parks Conservation Association, the Sierra Club, and the environmental law firm Earthjustice are suing the EPA over its new policy that allows states to avoid imposing pollution reductions. Colorado has also challenged the EPA's rejection of its plan in federal court.

The takeaway

The Trump administration's EPA is rolling back regulations that have helped clear the air over national parks and wilderness areas, putting these natural treasures at risk of increased pollution and haze. Conservationists warn this "backdoor" approach threatens the progress made over the last 25 years in improving visibility in these beloved public lands.