Trump Administration Moves to Repeal Key Climate Pollution Rules

The Trump administration is preparing to propose a significant rollback of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) authority to regulate climate pollution. Sources indicate that the administration may release this proposal as early as this week. Central to this initiative is the potential reversal of the 2009 “endangerment finding,” which concluded that greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels pose a threat to human health.

The endangerment finding has underpinned federal regulations aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from various sectors, including power plants, automobiles, and the oil and gas industry. If the proposal succeeds, it could severely limit the federal government’s capacity to combat climate change effectively.

Lee Zeldin, EPA Administrator, announced in March the agency’s intent to reconsider this critical rule, alongside a broader set of proposals aimed at dismantling what the administration perceives as burdensome regulations affecting fossil fuel and transportation industries. This push aligns with Project 2025, a plan developed by the Heritage Foundation to overhaul federal regulations.

An EPA spokesperson confirmed that the draft titled “Reconsideration of 2009 Endangerment Finding and Greenhouse Gas Vehicle Standards” was submitted to the White House Office of Management and Budget on June 30, 2023. Environmental advocates have expressed concern over the proposal, particularly noting the unusual absence of EPA staff at public meetings surrounding the draft. David Doniger, a senior strategist at the Natural Resources Defense Council, highlighted the lack of government representation, stating, “There was only one participant on the government side, and there was nobody from EPA.”

This absence raises questions about the involvement of EPA staff in the rulemaking process. The spokesperson for the EPA did not clarify which agency is leading the initiative. Sources suggest that the forthcoming proposal may also aim to eliminate regulations governing greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles, which derive from the endangerment finding. The Biden administration had previously sought to enhance these standards, encouraging the production of more fuel-efficient hybrids and electric vehicles.

The proposal, currently in draft form, is anticipated to argue that the Biden vehicle regulations harm public health by increasing vehicle costs, limiting consumer choices, and inhibiting the replacement of older vehicles. Richard Revesz, a former Biden White House official, criticized this legal rationale, claiming it is misguided and detrimental to the American public.

The rulemaking effort appears to be spearheaded by political appointees, including Jeffrey Clark, who oversees the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. Clark, previously an official in the Department of Justice, has a history of opposing EPA regulations concerning greenhouse gases. Doniger remarked on Clark’s long-standing campaign against the EPA’s regulatory power under the Clean Air Act.

The implications of this proposed repeal extend beyond regulatory frameworks; they resonate with the ongoing reality of climate change, which is intensifying weather patterns and driving record high temperatures globally. Doniger criticized the administration’s stance, stating, “For the administration to stand up and say in effect climate change isn’t happening or there’s nothing significant going on…is mindbogglingly out of touch with reality.”

As the administration prepares to unveil its proposal, environmentalists and public health advocates remain vigilant, aware that the outcome could reshape the landscape of climate regulation in the United States.