President Donald Trump and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin are expected to announce a major rollback of Biden-era refrigerant regulations on Thursday morning, a move the White House says will deliver immediate savings to American households and businesses.
The revised rules target technology and emissions standards imposed under the previous administration that restricted the use of certain super-pollutants in grocery refrigeration systems. According to a White House statement, the changes are designed to reduce costs across the supply chain, with savings “expected to flow directly to consumers through lower grocery prices, cheaper transportation of refrigerated goods, and more affordable home air conditioning.”
The event, scheduled for 11 a.m. EDT, will also feature National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett and other industry experts. The administration is framing the revisions as part of a broader push to ease regulatory burdens on businesses and combat inflation.
Critics argue that weakening refrigerant standards could undermine efforts to combat climate change, as many of the gases targeted by the Biden rules are potent greenhouse gases. However, the Trump administration has consistently prioritized deregulation and economic growth over environmental restrictions.
This latest action follows a pattern of the Trump EPA rolling back environmental rules from the Biden era. The agency has already moved to weaken emissions limits on power plants and vehicles, arguing that such regulations hurt U.S. competitiveness and raise costs for consumers.
The announcement comes as the White House continues to navigate a contentious political landscape, including ongoing debates over spending and legal challenges. For example, the administration is also dealing with fallout from its decision to pay $1.7 billion to January 6 rioters while a whistleblower remains imprisoned, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from both sides of the aisle.
Meanwhile, the EPA's focus on grocery refrigeration costs reflects a broader attempt to address kitchen-table economic concerns ahead of the midterm elections. By linking regulatory relief to lower prices at the supermarket, the administration hopes to appeal to voters feeling the pinch of inflation.
Industry groups have largely praised the anticipated changes, saying they will allow businesses to use more efficient and cost-effective cooling technologies. Environmental advocates, however, warn that the revisions could lock in reliance on outdated, high-emission refrigerants and slow the transition to greener alternatives.
Zeldin, who took the helm of the EPA earlier this year, has made deregulation a cornerstone of his tenure. In previous public statements, he has argued that the agency should focus on practical solutions that balance environmental protection with economic vitality.
The event will be streamed live, and the administration is expected to release detailed rule changes later in the day. As the political battle over environmental policy continues, this move signals that the Trump White House remains committed to rolling back what it sees as overreach by the previous administration.
