On July 29, 2025, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), under Administrator Lee Zeldin and the Trump administration, unveiled a sweeping proposal to rescind the 2009 “endangerment finding.” This legal determination labeled carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases as threats to public health and welfare—an essential basis for regulating emissions from vehicles, power plants, and oil and gas operations under the Clean Air Act.
If finalized, the repeal would nullify emission limits for motor vehicles, heavy-duty trucks, and power plants, effectively stripping the EPA of authority to control greenhouse gases. Zeldin described the proposal as the “largest deregulatory action in American history,” arguing that current climate regulations impose excessive burdens on consumers and businesses.
Environmental advocates, former EPA officials, and legal experts warn that the move is scientifically baseless and dangerously weakens public health protections. They emphasize that courts previously upheld the Endangerment Finding and related standards, and that the rollback is likely to face intensive litigation.
The proposal rests on a legal reinterpretation of Clean Air Act provisions, focusing narrowly on local pollution while dismissing scientific consensus about global climate threats. Critics argue this approach misreads both law and science. Though proponents highlight regulatory savings, many observers say the rule is legally vulnerable and potentially reversible, depending on forthcoming court decisions and public feedback over the 45-day comment period.
