WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is preparing to revoke a vital scientific finding that has historically served as a cornerstone for U.S. actions to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is set to finalize a rule rescinding a significant 2009 declaration known as the endangerment finding. This finding declared that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases present a danger to public health and welfare, forming the legal foundation for numerous climate regulations under the Clean Air Act.
A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the planned changes, which were first reported by the Wall Street Journal. They stated, “This week at the White House, President Trump will be taking the most significant deregulatory actions in history to unleash American energy dominance and reduce costs.”
Legal experts anticipate that once these changes occur, environmental groups will likely challenge the move in court, labeling it as the most significant attack on federal climate action efforts to date.
Critics of the planned rescindment argue that the endangerment finding is essential not just for climate policy but also for safeguarding public health against increasingly severe climate-related disasters such as floods, heatwaves, and wildfires.
Brigit Hirsch, an EPA spokesperson, stated that the Obama-era rule was “one of the most damaging decisions in modern history” and highlighted that EPA is actively working on delivering a significant regulatory action for the American people.
Critics, including environmental advocates and legal experts, claim that rolling it back would not only encourage higher levels of climate pollution and public health risks but also lead to unnecessary economic burdens on society.
Former congressman Lee Zeldin, who has been appointed by Trump to lead the EPA, has previously discussed the adverse economic impacts of restrictive regulations intended to combat climate change, emphasizing the need for looser regulations to stimulate economic growth.
Opponents argue that this deregulatory approach contradicts the overwhelming scientific consensus regarding climate change, which they view as one of the greatest threats of our time.
This roll back, if finalized, will continue to underscore the tensions surrounding climate policy in the United States and the attempts by the current administration to shift the regulatory landscape significantly.
