Polluters that email Trump get a free pass

Three facilities in the Southland that emit carcinogens are given OK to bypass rules.

- BY HAYLEY SMITH

MYUNG J. CHUN Los Angeles Times STERIGENICS is among dozens getting exemptions.

Three industrial facilities in California have received exemptions from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to emit a carcinogenic chemical after the Trump administration invited large emitters to bypass key provisions of the Clean Air Act by simply sending an email.

The EPA in March announced that it would allow large stationary sources of air pollution — that is, sources that aren't vehicles - to apply for an exemption that would enable them to avoid regulations that limit hazardous emissions. The provision in question applies to the regulation of nearly 200 pollutants, including mercury, arsenic, benzene and formaldehyde.

The nation’s top environmental agency said the exemptions could be granted under the president’s authority “if the technology to implement the standard is not available and it is in the national security interests of the United States to do so.” Environmental groups were outraged by the announcement — dubbing the email offer as an “inbox from hell.”

As of publication, at least 340 facilities nationwide have received or applied for exemptions from the EPA, including 87 in Texas, 51 in Louisiana and 18 in Pennsylvania, according to a tracker created by the nonprofit Environmental Defense Fund.

So far, three facilities in California have applied for and received approval. All three belong to Sterigenics, a company that provides industrial sterilization technology for medical devices and other commercial products at two locations in Los Angeles and one in San Bernardino County.