Trump Grants Copper Smelters Two-Year Air Pollution Exemption

Donald Trump reversed a Biden-era air pollution rule on Friday, providing domestic copper smelters a two-year compliance exemption from strict emission limits. The original rule, finalized in May 2024, required facilities to curb the release of pollutants including lead, arsenic, mercury, benzene, and dioxins.

The White House stated the rollback aims to promote American mineral security and protect a strained domestic industry from further closures, which would increase reliance on foreign-controlled processing capacity. The exemption specifically applies to the Freeport-McMoRan smelter in Arizona. Rio Tinto reported that its Kennecott operation in Utah was not affected by the original 2024 order due to previous investments in emission-capture technology.

This regulatory change follows an executive order designating copper as a critical material for defense and infrastructure. That designation led to a Section 232 investigation, resulting in a 50% tariff on certain imported copper and new mandates requiring the domestic sale of high-quality scrap copper.