President Donald Trump has revoked a landmark 2009 federal determination that greenhouse gases endanger public health, dismantling a central pillar of U.S. climate regulation established during the Obama administration.
The move targets the so-called endangerment finding issued by the Environmental Protection Agency in the first year of former President Barack Obama’s presidency. That determination concluded that six key greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide and methane, pose a threat to human health and welfare. With Congress divided over climate legislation at the time, the finding became the legal backbone for regulating emissions from vehicles, power plants, oil and gas operations, landfills and aircraft.
The White House described the reversal as the largest deregulation effort in American history, arguing it will lower costs for consumers and industry. Administration officials said undoing the rule could save more than $1 trillion and reduce vehicle production costs by about $2,400 per car, potentially lowering prices and energy expenses.
Trump sharply criticized the original finding, calling it harmful to the auto industry and responsible for driving up consumer costs. He linked it to broader Democratic climate initiatives, portraying the policy as economically damaging.
Environmental advocates and former officials countered that the rollback represents the most sweeping attempt yet to weaken U.S. climate policy. Analysts with environmental groups estimate the change could lead to higher fuel spending totaling roughly $1.4 trillion due to less efficient vehicles. They also project significant public health consequences, including tens of thousands of additional premature deaths and millions more asthma attacks.
Legal experts say the endangerment finding has long shielded the federal government from certain climate-related lawsuits while centralizing regulatory authority. Its repeal could trigger a wave of litigation from states and nonprofit organizations seeking clarity on how greenhouse gases will be governed moving forward.
The reversal may also complicate matters for U.S. automakers. Some observers warn that producing less fuel-efficient vehicles could make American cars less competitive in overseas markets that maintain stricter emissions standards.
The administration’s proposal relies in part on a recent Energy Department report questioning prevailing climate science. However, critics argue the panel behind the report was unrepresentative and flawed. A federal judge has already ruled that the department violated the law in forming the team that produced it.
Many legal analysts expect the dispute to reach the Supreme Court, potentially determining whether federal climate regulation under the Clean Air Act can be permanently curtailed.
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