The Trump administration has eliminated a key scientific commitment that has historically guided US initiatives to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and address climate change. This move represents the most significant attack by the president on environmental safeguards up to this point.
The Environmental Protection Agency’s new rule overturns a 2009 government ruling, known as the endangerment finding, which determined that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases pose a danger to public health and welfare. This finding, established during the Obama administration, serves as the legal basis for almost all climate regulations under the Clean Air Act, affecting areas such as vehicles, power plants, and other pollution sources contributing to global warming.
Experts caution that disputes are inevitable over the decision to eliminate all greenhouse gas emissions standards for cars and trucks, which could lead to broader rollbacks of climate regulations on stationary sources like power plants and oil and gas facilities. Ann Carlson, an environmental law professor at the UCLA School of Law, believes that overturning the finding will have more significant repercussions than previous efforts by the Trump administration to dismantle environmental rules.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, who has spearheaded the agency’s shift towards a pro-business stance resulting in numerous climate regulation rollbacks, stated that repealing the endangerment finding will mark the largest deregulatory action in US history. Environmental advocates view this action as a major blow to federal authority to address climate change.
Zeldin unveiled the finalized rule alongside President Donald Trump, also announcing plans to propose a two-year delay to a Biden-era regulation limiting greenhouse gas emissions from cars and light trucks. Zeldin, a former Republican congressman appointed by Trump to lead the EPA, has criticized Democratic predecessors for what he sees as economically damaging climate change policies.
Myron Ebell, a conservative activist skeptical of climate change science, lauded the administration’s decision, stating that it is a crucial step towards sensible energy and economic policies. He believes that this move will boost economic productivity and benefit consumers by allowing auto manufacturers to produce desired vehicles.
The Supreme Court ruled in 2007 that greenhouse gases, produced by burning fossil fuels, qualify as air pollutants under the Clean Air Act. The endangerment finding has consistently withstood legal challenges, establishing the foundation for regulations aimed at mitigating climate change-induced threats like floods, heatwaves, wildfires, and other natural disasters.
Former EPA administrator Gina McCarthy criticized the Trump administration’s actions as reckless, accusing the agency of prioritizing the interests of the fossil fuel industry over protecting the environment and public health. McCarthy emphasized the EPA’s obligation to regulate greenhouse gases and highlighted the growing evidence of climate change’s impacts.
David Doniger, a climate expert at the Natural Resources Defense Council, expressed concerns that repealing the endangerment finding could invalidate a wide range of climate regulations, potentially hindering future efforts to address global warming. The EPA’s decision follows an executive order from Trump instructing a review of the finding’s legal standing.
Zeldin and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy have taken steps to relax restrictions on tailpipe emissions from vehicles significantly. The administration’s proposal to reduce vehicle mileage standards aims to ease regulatory burdens on car manufacturers, arguing that it will lower car prices and expand consumer choices.
Environmental advocates warn that the proposed changes could prolong the presence of polluting vehicles on American roads, endangering public health, particularly among vulnerable populations. They argue that clean car and truck standards introduced under Biden are crucial for combating climate pollution.
