Trump admin unwinds landmark 2009 climate ruling
Image: AP
One of the legal pillars of modern US climate regulation is about to face the biggest test in its 16+ years of existence.
Yesterday, the Trump admin repealed the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2009 “endangerment finding” that classified six greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide and methane, as threats to public health.
Why it’s a big deal: That determination gives the EPA authority to regulate carbon emissions from vehicles, airplanes, power plants, and oil and gas facilities under the Clean Air Act.
- Undoing it would effectively dismantle the legal foundation for nearly all federal climate regulations enacted in the US since late 2009.
- This means automakers would no longer be required to measure their emissions and comply with federal GHG standards, while tighter standards would also be rolled back for power plants and oil and gas facilities.
The arguments
Trump admin officials say the change will reduce regulatory burdens, lower energy costs, and strengthen US manufacturing, framing it as a move to prioritize energy abundance.
- They argue that fossil fuels remain essential to economic growth and are necessary to meet rising electricity demand tied to AI/data centers.
- Supporters of the repeal, including EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, claim it will save Americans a combined ~$1.3 trillion largely by making new vehicles cheaper.
On the flip side: Opponents, including Democratic lawmakers and environmental groups, say repealing the EPA’s endangerment finding goes against decades of scientific research and legal precedent in favor of the EPA regulating greenhouse gas emissions.
They also argue that the move goes against 15+ years of research that shows climate-driven disasters linked to high GHG emissions—like extreme heat waves and stronger hurricanes—directly endanger American lives, health, and property.
Looking ahead…Legal experts say court challenges to the Trump admin’s move are all-but-guaranteed, with the issue widely expected to reach the Supreme Court in the coming years.
📊 Flash poll: In general, do you agree with the Trump admin’s decision to reverse the EPA’s 2009 greenhouse gas endangerment finding?
See a 360° view of what pundits are saying →
Sprinkles from the Left
- Some commentators argue that eliminating the EPA’s endangerment finding weakens the government’s ability to address climate change, even as scientific evidence links rising greenhouse gas levels to worsening heat waves, wildfires, flooding, and mounting health consequences.
- Others contend that the EPA’s endangerment finding imposed significant regulatory costs to US businesses while doing little to meaningfully change emissions levels, a shift that should be credited to market-driven innovation rather than federal mandates.
- “Trump Administration Erases the Government’s Power to Fight Climate Change”- Lisa Friedman, NYT
- “EPA is right to reverse Obama Overreach”- WaPo Editorial Board
- “The insurance Crisis is about to get worse”- Mark Gongloff, Bloomberg
Sprinkles from the Right
- Some commentators argue that Trump’s decision to end the climate determination restores the Clean Air Act’s original scope, and also protects economic liberty by rolling back regulations which raised costs for consumers and businesses with little measurable climate benefit.
- Others contend that repealing the endangerment finding reduces costly climate regulations on energy and vehicles, while noting that US emissions cuts alone are unlikely to meaningfully affect global temperatures as other major economies continue increasing output.
- “Federal Regulators Finally Get Out of the Climate Business”- National Review Editorial Board
- “Trump’s Climate Liberation Act” –WSJ Editorial Board
- “A reckoning for global warming alarmists is past due” –David Harsanyi, Washington Examiner
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