New York Times: Trump Administration, Reversing Itself, Won’t Rewrite a Ban on Asbestos by Hiroko Tabuchi

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 8, 2025

EPA WITHDRAWS MOTION TO DELAY ASBESTOS RULE REVIEW FOLLOWING ADAO’S OPPOSITION

Facing strong pushback, EPA abandons plan to reconsider banning chrysotile asbestos amid rising public health concerns

Washington, D.C. — In a significant development, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has formally filed a notice with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit to withdraw its June 16 motion to pause litigation over the Asbestos Part 1: Chrysotile Asbestos rule for an additional six months. The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO)—the only petitioner to oppose the motion—welcomes the Agency’s decision to move forward rather than delay.

The EPA had sought the delay to reconsider the chrysotile ban through a lengthy notice-and-comment rulemaking process that could have extended nearly three years or longer.  ADAO opposed the motion, warning that further delays would create regulatory confusion, weaken protections, and place countless lives at continued risk.“The EPA’s sudden reversal is a quiet but clear acknowledgment that their plan to rethink the chrysotile ban created more chaos than clarity,” said Linda Reinstein, ADAO Co-Founder and President. “Their motion would have opened the door to years of delay, confusion, and increased risk to public health. ADAO stood alone in opposition—not because it was easy, but because it was necessary. When agencies falter, we don’t flinch. We will always fight to protect lives and to end the suffering, diseases, and deaths from asbestos.”  

The EPA’s July 7 filing confirms the Agency no longer intends to pursue changes to the rule at this time and proposes resuming litigation. The Court has been asked to set a new deadline of August 8, 2025, for determining next steps.

“The EPA’s withdrawal of its motion reflects a recognition that further delay would have undermined the integrity of the Toxic Substances Control Act—legislation that was amended  in 2016 precisely because of EPA’s past failure to ban asbestos—and the urgent need to protect public health,” said Bob Sussman, counsel to ADAO, and a former EPA official. “ADAO’s strong opposition made clear that the rule should be defended—not dismantled.”

ADAO remains steadfast in its mission to protect public health and ensure that the long-overdue federal asbestos ban is implemented swiftly, effectively, and without compromise.

About ADAO
Founded in 2004, the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization is the largest independent nonprofit in the United States dedicated to preventing asbestos exposure and eliminating all asbestos-caused diseases through education, advocacy, and community.

Learn more at: www.AsbestosDiseaseAwareness.org