Washington D.C. – In a sweeping rollback of climate regulations, the Trump administration has formally revoked the 2009 “endangerment finding,” a pivotal scientific determination that greenhouse gas emissions pose a threat to public health and welfare. The move, announced on , effectively eliminates the legal foundation for federal efforts to curb planet-warming pollution and represents the administration’s most aggressive step yet in dismantling environmental protections.
Speaking from the Roosevelt Room of the White House alongside Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin, President Trump characterized the rollback as “the single largest deregulatory action in American history.” Zeldin echoed this sentiment, stating the action would end what he termed “the holy grail of federal regulatory overreach.” The administration contends the move will save American taxpayers over $1.3 trillion and lower costs for consumers.
The 2009 endangerment finding, issued under the Obama administration, was the result of a Supreme Court ruling in Massachusetts v. EPA, which affirmed the agency’s authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles. This finding empowered the EPA to act on climate change and became the cornerstone of federal climate regulation.
The Trump administration’s decision to revoke the finding rests on a narrow interpretation of the Clean Air Act, arguing that its provisions regulating emissions apply only to pollutants that cause harm through “local and regional exposure.” This interpretation, critics say, ignores the global and long-term impacts of greenhouse gases. The EPA’s position effectively voids all federal greenhouse gas regulations on motor vehicles, and experts warn it could pave the way for the dismantling of regulations governing stationary sources like power plants and oil and gas facilities.
“What they’re basically doing is announcing a position that the Clean Air Act does not allow EPA to find that greenhouse gases endanger health and welfare,” explained Andres Restrepo, a senior attorney at the Sierra Club. “That will require them to end emissions standards for power plants, too, because they cannot continue regulating power plants if that’s their legal position.”
The administration’s claims of economic benefit have been met with skepticism from environmental groups. One estimate from the Environmental Defense Fund suggests the repeal of the endangerment finding could result in up to $4.7 trillion in additional expenses related to climate change impacts and toxic pollution over the next two decades. Jason Walsh, executive director of BlueGreen Alliance, argued the move would disproportionately harm vulnerable communities.
“Today’s action by President Trump, if unchecked by the courts or Congress, will put more money in the pockets of the CEOs who pollute our air and cut big checks for Republican politicians,” Walsh said. “But it will put more regular folks in the hospital or force them to flee climate disasters while the billionaire class is safely protected on their mountaintops and private islands.”
The rollback has drawn swift condemnation from climate experts and advocates. Critics accuse the administration of prioritizing the interests of fossil fuel industries over public health and environmental protection. Manuel Salgado, federal research manager at We Act for Environmental Justice, described the move as benefiting “modern-day robber barons” who seek to profit from inaction on climate change.
The EPA, however, defended its actions, stating it is “following the law, ending the bogus overreach of previous administrations done by agenda-driven climate zealots.”
The legal challenges are already mounting. Several groups, including the states of California and Connecticut, have pledged to sue the administration, arguing the rollback is unlawful and contradicts established legal precedent. Michael Gerrard, a climate law expert at Columbia University, anticipates litigation will begin “very soon” and could potentially reach the Supreme Court. He noted the court’s history of swift action in similar cases, suggesting a resolution could come within a year.
The administration’s move also has implications for the global effort to combat climate change. By weakening domestic regulations, the United States risks falling behind other nations, such as China and Europe, which are investing heavily in clean energy technologies. Adam Zuckerman, a senior clean vehicles campaigner at Public Citizen, warned that the rollback could put American automakers at a disadvantage, forcing them to produce outdated vehicles for a shrinking domestic market.
“As China and Europe race toward building [electric vehicles], the American auto industry will need to make some challenging choices about how it decides to invest in innovation,” Zuckerman said. “The move puts American automakers in a bind, pushing them to make dirty, obsolete vehicles for the US that they can’t sell to most of the world.”
The revocation of the endangerment finding marks a significant turning point in U.S. Climate policy, signaling a continued commitment to prioritizing economic deregulation over environmental protection. The long-term consequences of this decision remain to be seen, but the legal battles and political fallout are likely to continue for years to come.
