Trump EPA Weakens Pollution Rules, Risking Haze Return to National Parks

Conservationists warn the administration is undoing decades of progress in clearing skies over beloved parks

Mar. 22, 2026 at 4:18am

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Conservationists are warning that the Trump administration is working to undo decades of progress in clearing skies over the country's national parks. The EPA has weakened standards for individual state plans by rejecting proposals the agency considers too tough on polluters and signing off on weaker plans. This includes approving West Virginia's plan that didn't require coal plants to analyze whether they needed better pollution controls, as well as rejecting plans in Colorado and Hawaii that called for power plant closures.

Why it matters

The regional haze rule has helped reduce sulfur and smog emissions in national parks and wilderness areas by hundreds of thousands of tons annually over the last 25 years, dramatically improving visibility. Conservationists say the Trump administration's actions threaten to undo this progress and allow more pollution to return to these protected natural areas.

The details

The EPA approved West Virginia's plan that didn't require coal plants to analyze whether they needed better pollution controls, as long as visibility met projected benchmarks. The agency also rejected plans in Colorado and Hawaii that called for power plant closures, saying the states didn't show the shutdowns would be legal or consider the effects on electricity supply. The EPA has warned states not to push for plant closures to comply with regional haze requirements and that they must consider the impact on grid reliability.

  • In January 2025, the EPA signaled it would reject West Virginia's proposal.
  • Six months later, the EPA approved West Virginia's plan.
  • In January 2026, the EPA rejected Colorado's plan.
  • In February 2026, the EPA signaled it planned to reject Hawaii's plan.

The players

EPA

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which is now firmly under President Donald Trump's control.

West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection

The state agency responsible for developing West Virginia's plan to address regional haze.

National Parks Conservation Association

A conservation group suing the EPA over its approval of West Virginia's plan.

Sierra Club

An environmental group also suing the EPA over its approval of West Virginia's plan.

Earthjustice

An environmental law firm representing the National Parks Conservation Association and Sierra Club in their lawsuit against the EPA.

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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, 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, Shenandoah National Park

What’s next

The National Parks Conservation Association, Sierra Club, and Earthjustice are suing the EPA over its approval of West Virginia's plan. Colorado has also challenged the EPA's rejection of its plan in federal court.

The takeaway

The Trump administration's efforts to roll back the regional haze rule and allow more pollution in national parks threaten to undo decades of progress in improving air quality and visibility in these protected natural areas. Conservationists warn this could lead to the return of hazy skies over beloved parks, undermining their natural beauty and visitor experience.