Trump Administration to Revoke Key Climate Regulation
The Trump administration is poised to reverse a significant scientific determination that has been instrumental in shaping U.S. policies on greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. A senior White House official, speaking anonymously, confirmed this plan, initially reported by The Wall Street Journal.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is set to finalize a rule that will rescind the 2009 endangerment finding, a policy from the Obama era that identified carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases as threats to public health and welfare. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated, “This week at the White House, President Trump will be taking the most significant deregulatory actions in history to further unleash American energy dominance and drive down costs.”
This endangerment finding serves as the legal foundation for various climate regulations under the Clean Air Act. It supports regulations aimed at mitigating climate change-related threats, including severe weather events and natural disasters.
Any move to repeal these regulations is expected to face legal challenges. Environmental groups consider this shift as a major setback in federal efforts to combat climate change.
An EPA spokesperson did not specify when the finding would be revoked but confirmed that a new rule is being finalized. Brigit Hirsch described the Obama-era rule as “one of the most damaging decisions in modern history” and mentioned that the EPA is actively working towards a historic action.
President Trump, who has termed climate change a “hoax,” previously issued an executive order directing the EPA to evaluate the legality of the endangerment finding. Some conservatives and Republicans argue that these regulations are overly restrictive and economically harmful.
Former Republican congressman Lee Zeldin, appointed by Trump to lead the EPA, criticized previous administrations for their climate policies. He argued that Democrats used the finding to impose costly regulations on various sectors of the economy.
Peter Zalzal of the Environmental Defense Fund countered, asserting that the EPA’s new stance would lead to increased climate pollution and higher health costs. He described the proposal as “cynical and deeply damaging.”
The Supreme Court, in its 2007 Massachusetts v. EPA decision, recognized greenhouse gases as pollutants under the Clean Air Act. Subsequent court decisions have consistently upheld the endangerment finding, including a 2023 ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
Following the proposed repeal, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine reaffirmed the scientific evidence supporting the 2009 finding, noting that it has been validated by stronger evidence over time. The NAS highlighted the clear scientific consensus on the harm caused by human-generated greenhouse gases.
For more coverage on the Environmental Protection Agency, visit AP News.
