J.D. Vance Fought Health Protections For Steelworkers And Their Communities

Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance pressured regulators to abandon a proposed federal rule to protect steelworkers and their communities from factories’ carcinogenic emissions, according to documents reviewed by The Lever. The final rules were weakened after Ohio Sen. Vance and other lawmakers intervened.

In a November 2023 letter, Vance urged the Environmental Protection Agency to abandon new regulations designed to limit life-shortening toxins spewed from coke plants, which are part of the steel industry supply chain. These chemicals, like benzene, mercury, lead, and arsenic, harm workers and nearby communities by heightening the risk of cancers, inflammatory lung diseases, and other health conditions.