Trump EPA Seeks to Scrap Key Climate Rule, Raising Legal and Scientific Concerns

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under Donald Trump has proposed to repeal a 2009 decision that allowed the government to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. The move would remove a legal foundation for many climate-related rules, including those affecting vehicle standards and the energy industry.

The 2009 “Endangerment Finding,” issued during the Obama administration, concluded that six greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, threatened public health and welfare. It enabled the EPA to regulate emissions under the Clean Air Act.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the science behind the 2009 ruling is flawed.

“With this proposal, the Trump EPA is proposing to end sixteen years of uncertainty for automakers and American consumers,” Zeldin said in a public statement. He argued that earlier administrations “twisted the law” and imposed “hundreds of billions of dollars in hidden taxes.”

The EPA now says climate models used in 2009 were overly pessimistic and that updated data weakens the case for regulation. The proposal, if finalized, would eliminate all federal greenhouse gas standards for cars, trucks, and heavy-duty engines.

Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. Critics say the move would severely limit the government's ability to address climate change.

“This is a drastic step,” said Conrad Schneider, U.S. Senior Director at the Clean Air Task Force. “It puts the health of millions of Americans at risk.”

Environmental groups argue the Trump administration is catering to fossil fuel interests. John Noël, Climate Campaign Director at Greenpeace USA, said, “There’s nothing reasonable or science-based about this. It’s just one more handout to Big Oil.”

The proposal is based in part on a report commissioned by the Department of Energy. The report challenges mainstream climate science but has been widely criticized. Zeke Hausfather, a climate scientist cited in the report, said his work was misrepresented. “It’s a scattershot collection of debunked skeptic claims,” he told Wired.

Legal experts say the repeal could face major challenges in court. The original Endangerment Finding followed a 2007 Supreme Court ruling, Massachusetts v. EPA, which forced the agency to determine whether greenhouse gases were harmful.

Richard Lazarus, a professor at Harvard Law School, said the proposal targets a core legal principle. “They’re trying to take that away permanently, not just for the next few years,” he said.

Michael Gerrard, director of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia University, said the move could block future efforts to regulate emissions unless Congress passes new laws.

Environmental groups are already preparing lawsuits. The Natural Resources Defense Council said it will fight the proposal in court if necessary. “This has been the legal foundation for controlling pollution from cars, power plants, and oil drilling,” the group said in a statement.

The EPA has opened the proposal to public comment before issuing a final decision. If approved, the change would represent one of the largest rollbacks of environmental regulation in U.S. history.

Meanwhile, cities and states are pursuing their own legal action against major oil companies. Patrick Parenteau, professor emeritus at Vermont Law and Graduate School, said repealing the Endangerment Finding could weaken oil companies’ legal defenses. “It could backfire on the fossil fuel industry,” he said.

Still, many legal scholars remain cautious, citing the current makeup of the Supreme Court. If finalized and upheld, the proposal could reshape federal climate policy for years to come.

Support usto keep independent environmental journalism alive in India.

Keep Reading

Indore Startup Swaaha takes the lead in making Amarnath Yatra eco-friendly

Amarnath Yatra: Tackling rising death toll from extreme weather events

Amarnath yatra pilgrims urinating in Sindh river: A threat to environment

Amarnath Yatra 2023: IMD operationalizes Banihal Doppler weather radar to detect high-impact weather events

Stay connected with Ground Report for underreported environmental stories.

Follow us onX,Instagram, andFacebook; share your thoughts at [email protected]; subscribe to our weekly newsletter for deep dives from the margins; join ourWhatsApp communityfor real-time updates; and catch our video reports on YouTube.

Your support amplifies voices too often overlooked—thank you for being part of the movement.