EPA administrator Lee Zeldin announced plans to revoke the key scientific finding that allows for US climate regulation, marking one of the Trump administration’s most significant reversals on climate policy as it seeks to dismantle the legal foundation for federal environmental controls.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said Tuesday he’s issuing draft plans to overturn the agency’s 2009 scientific finding that greenhouse gases threaten human health and welfare, a move that would fundamentally undermine America’s ability to regulate climate pollution. The proposed Environmental Protection Agency rule would rescind a 2009 declaration that determined that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare.
Legal foundation under threat
The “endangerment finding” is the legal underpinning of a host of climate regulations under the Clean Air Act, making its potential repeal a cornerstone of the administration’s deregulatory agenda. If successful, the repeal could strip the EPA of its authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, vehicles, and other major sources.
The move represents what many observers consider the most direct effort by President Trump to dismantle climate regulations at their source. “After 16 years, EPA will formally reconsider the Endangerment Finding,” Zeldin said in a statement, arguing that “The Trump Administration will not sacrifice national prosperity, energy security, and the freedom of our people for an agenda that throttles our industries”.
Scientific basis questioned
The administration’s approach challenges the scientific consensus that has underpinned climate policy for over a decade. The original 2009 finding was based on extensive scientific research demonstrating that greenhouse gas emissions contribute to climate change and pose risks to public health and welfare through extreme weather events, air quality degradation, and other impacts.
In an interview on Tuesday, Lee Zeldin said that the agency would nix the 2009 “endangerment finding” that links emissions from motor vehicles to climate change and negative health impacts. This targeted approach suggests the administration is focusing particularly on transportation-related emissions regulations.
Industry and litigation implications
The proposed rule change is guaranteed to face immediate legal challenges from environmental groups and Democratic-led states, potentially creating years of uncertainty for businesses and regulators. The reversal would provide significant relief to industries that have faced increasing regulatory pressure to reduce their carbon footprints.
However, the move also creates potential complications for American businesses operating internationally, where climate regulations and carbon pricing mechanisms continue to expand. The disconnect between US and global approaches to climate policy could create competitive disadvantages for some sectors whilst providing advantages for others.
REFH – Newshub, 30 July 2025
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