US President Donald Trump has once again reversed a regulation introduced by his predecessor Joe Biden. This means that the copper producers Freeport-McMoRan and Rio Tinto will no longer be subject to key environmental regulations.
》It is another step backwards for environmental policy《
On Friday, US President Donald Trump lifted a requirement for copper smelters introduced by his predecessor Joe Biden. The new order means that the two affected plants of Freeport-McMoRan and Rio Tinto will not have to comply with central environmental regulations for the next two years. Copper smelters produce, process and purify material from various raw materials.
The White House justified the move with the aim of promoting the security of the American mineral supply and freeing domestic copper producers from regulatory burdens.
"Imposing these requirements on such a limited and already strained domestic industry risks accelerating further closures," the US government stated.
Both Freeport-McMoRan and Rio Tinto did not initially respond to a request for comment.
The Biden administration's rule, finalized in May 2024, had required the two copper companies to reduce emissions of pollutants such as lead, arsenic, mercury and benzene. Trump had already classified copper as a strategically important raw material for defense, infrastructure and new technologies by decree at the beginning of the year.
As I am only a co-author of this article, I would like to take this opportunity to thank @Tenbagger2024 for the great research 👍🏻