UPDATE 1-Trump to delay Biden-era refrigerant rules in push to ease costs, White House official says

In addition, the Environmental Protection Agency plans to propose rolling back other restrictions on HFCs ⁠through ​a separate rule affecting ⁠transporters of refrigerated goods, the official said.

The Trump ​administration on Thursday intends to ‌delay compliance ​with two Biden-era rules governing refrigerants as part of a broader effort to unwind the former ‌president’s environmental agenda, according to a White House official.

The actions would affect grocers, semiconductor manufacturers and other companies that use hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), potent greenhouse gases ‌used in refrigeration and air conditioning systems. The compliance requirements stem ‌from a 2023 Environmental Protection Agency rule aimed at reducing emissions of the superpollutants. In addition, the Environmental Protection Agency plans to propose rolling back other restrictions on HFCs ⁠through ​a separate rule affecting ⁠transporters of refrigerated goods, the official said. The move, first reported by USA Today, ⁠is expected to be announced by U.S. President Donald Trump at a White House ​event alongside EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin.

The White House official said ⁠easing the restrictions would reduce costs for consumers, estimating potential savings of more than $2.4 ⁠billion. “Americans ​were right to be frustrated with the Biden-era refrigerant rules,” Zeldin said in a statement. “They didn’t protect human health or the environment ⁠and instead piled on costly, unattainable restrictions beyond what the law requires.”

The ⁠EPA last week ⁠also proposed weakening wastewater limits for coal-fired power plants, saying the changes would lower electricity costs. (Reporting By Steve ‌Holland and ‌Jarrett Renshaw; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama ​and Mark Porter)