"The Trump administration says it will defend a Biden era-rule that is expected to keep polluters on the hook to clean up toxic “forever chemicals.”

The rule in question designated two types of these chemicals as “hazardous substances,” giving the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) more authority to clean up their contamination and require polluters to pay for it.

In a court filing on Wednesday, lawyers for the Justice Department said the EPA “has reviewed the underlying rule and has decided to keep the Rule in place.”

In a statement, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the Trump administration was seeking a balance between holding polluters accountable and not punishing the wrong companies."

Rachel Frazin reports for The Hill September 17, 2025. [2]