In a move described by the White House as the “single largest deregulatory action in U.S. history,” EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and President Trump have finalized a rule to rescind the 2009 Endangerment Finding. The decision effectively eliminates all federal greenhouse gas (GHG) emission standards for motor vehicles and engines.
The Trump administration projects that this reversal will save Americans more than $1.3 trillion in regulatory costs. According to the EPA, the action will:
Eliminate future obligations for manufacturers to measure, control, or report GHG emissions for highway vehicles.
Apply retroactively, covering model years manufactured prior to the final rule.
Lower vehicle prices by an estimated average of $2,400 per vehicle.
Restore consumer choice by removing “de facto” electric vehicle mandates.
Officials clarified that this action applies strictly to greenhouse gases and does not impact existing regulations on traditional air pollutants like smog or soot.
The EPA’s new determination rests on a reevaluation of Section 202(a) of the Clean Air Act. Administrator Zeldin concluded that Congress never intended for the Act to grant the EPA authority to manage global climate change. The agency further argued that its previous regulations were “futile,” asserting they had no material impact on global temperature trends.
The 2009 finding, established during the Obama administration, served as the legal bedrock for the EPA’s authority to regulate GHGs under the Clean Air Act. By determining that carbon dioxide and other GHGs endangered public health, the agency previously mandated strict emission limits that pushed the auto industry toward electrification.
“The Endangerment Finding was a disastrous policy that damaged the American auto industry,” President Trump stated during the announcement in the Roosevelt Room. “We are bringing car prices tumbling down by eliminating this red tape.”
The move drew immediate praise from Republican lawmakers and industry groups. Senate Environment and Public Works Chairman Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) called it a “transformational impact” for energy-producing states. “By ending the so-called Endangerment Finding, President Trump is delivering the largest cutting of red tape in history — unleashing American energy and making everything more affordable,” U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum echoed.
Industry leaders, including the American Trucking Associations and the American Petroleum Institute, supported the shift, citing the need for “achievable” standards and the preservation of gas-powered vehicle options.
While environmental advocates are expected to challenge the ruling in court, the administration remains firm that major climate policy must be decided by Congress rather than executive agencies.
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