Rahul Somvanshi
The Trump administration has launched what it calls “the biggest deregulatory action” in U.S. history, with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announcing plans to reconsider the 2009 endangerment finding that serves as the legal foundation for climate regulations.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin described the move as “driving a dagger straight into the heart of the climate change religion,” adding that the action aims to “drive down cost of living for American families” and “unleash American energy.”
What’s at Stake
The 2009 endangerment finding concluded that six greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide and methane, pose significant threats to public health and welfare. This scientific determination has been the cornerstone for numerous climate regulations over the past 15 years, including:
- Vehicle emissions standards that would save 7 billion tons of emissions by 2032
- Power plant pollution controls
- Oil and gas production emission limits
The EPA’s announcement marks the beginning of a formal process that could upend these regulations, though legal experts predict significant challenges ahead.
Beyond the Endangerment Finding
The EPA’s sweeping deregulation initiative targets at least 31 environmental rules, including:
- Biden-era power plant emission standards
- Mercury and toxic metal pollution limits from coal plants
- Wastewater regulations for power plants and oil drilling
- Chemical plant safety requirements
- Mandatory greenhouse gas reporting programs
- Vehicle emission standards
- Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) reduction rules
- Interstate air pollution controls
- Particulate matter (soot) regulations
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Industry Support, Environmental Opposition
Industry groups have generally welcomed the proposed changes, arguing the regulations imposed unnecessary costs. The American Petroleum Institute and Chamber of Commerce have long advocated for revisiting many of these rules.
Environmental organizations have responded with alarm. “The Trump administration’s ignorance is trumped only by its malice toward the planet,” said Jason Rylander, legal director at the Center for Biological Diversity’s Climate Law Institute. “This move won’t stand up in court. We’re going to fight it every step of the way.”
Economic and Environmental Implications
Proponents of deregulation argue these changes will:
- Reduce compliance costs for businesses
- Lower energy prices for consumers
- Revive manufacturing and energy production jobs
Critics counter that rolling back climate protections will:
- Increase health risks, particularly for vulnerable communities
- Accelerate climate change effects like extreme weather
- Put the U.S. at odds with global climate efforts
“Removing the endangerment finding even as climate chaos accelerates is like spraying gasoline on a burning house,” Rylander noted, pointing to the 27 separate billion-dollar climate disasters that occurred last year.
Legal Outlook
The administration faces substantial legal hurdles in its effort to undo the endangerment finding. The Supreme Court affirmed the EPA’s authority to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act in a 2007 ruling, and multiple subsequent court decisions have reinforced the scientific basis for the finding.
Some energy industry leaders have even cautioned that removing the endangerment finding could backfire by reviving public nuisance lawsuits against energy producers that federal climate regulations have effectively blocked.
Global Context
The United States remains the second-largest carbon polluter globally after China, and the largest historical emitter of greenhouse gases. This deregulatory push comes at a time when:
- Global temperatures continue to break records
- Polar ice caps are melting at accelerated rates
- Extreme weather events are increasing in frequency and severity
Environmental advocates argue the U.S. should be strengthening climate protections rather than weakening them, particularly given mounting evidence of climate change impacts.
