In a sweeping policy shift, the administration of Donald Trump has revoked the legal foundation that allowed the United States government to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. The move also ends federal vehicle emission standards aimed at cutting pollution from cars and light trucks.
At the centre of the decision is the 2009 “endangerment finding,” issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). That finding concluded that greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane pose a threat to public health and welfare. It gave the EPA authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate emissions linked to climate change.
The Trump administration described the rollback as one of the largest deregulatory actions in U.S. history. Officials said removing these rules would reduce regulatory burdens on industries and lower costs for consumers and automakers. The EPA estimates significant financial savings from ending compliance requirements tied to monitoring and limiting emissions.
The decision also cancels federal vehicle emission standards covering model years from 2012 onward. These rules had pushed carmakers to improve fuel efficiency and invest in cleaner technologies, including electric vehicles.
However, environmental groups and climate scientists have strongly criticised the move. They argue that scrapping the endangerment finding weakens decades of environmental protections and could lead to higher pollution levels, worsening respiratory illnesses and slowing efforts to combat global warming.
Legal experts say the decision is likely to face court challenges. The U.S. Supreme Court had earlier upheld the EPA’s authority to regulate greenhouse gases, making this rollback legally sensitive and potentially contentious.
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