Actually, that's a valid argument worth rebutting whenever it comes up. If we're going to repatriate manufacturing and refinery for a bevy of industries in the USA, it's imperative that we address the issue of industrial waste. As much as we like to bitch and moan about China, India, and Vietnam being polluted shitholes, the rapid industrialisation and lax enforcement on environmental laws had more than a hand to play in those places becoming so unpleasant. A huge reason why the neoliberal order took hold in America was largely because of the perceived environmental benefits of not having industrial waste risk contaminating your groundwater supply or polluting your air. If we truly want industrialisation and refinery to come back into America in full swing, we can't just say "fuck the EPA" and let the factories do what they will without regard for the environmental impact they actually do have. The USA hasn't adequately dealt with the ramifications of East Palestine, OH getting polluted with PFAs and other such forever chemicals due to the train derailment. If we can't deal with that, it spells out a rather troubling omen of things to come if and when we get our factories back.