The White House and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Thursday finalized a rule that rescinds the EPA’s 2009 “endangerment finding,” the scientific and legal determination that greenhouse gas emissions pose a threat to public health and welfare. The agency described the action as the largest deregulatory measure in its history.
The finding had served as the foundational legal basis for federal regulation of carbon dioxide, methane and other heat-trapping gases under the Clean Air Act, including emissions standards for vehicles and other major sources of pollution. With it revoked, those regulations no longer rest on the same statutory authority.
The EPA and White House said the change will reduce compliance costs for manufacturers and consumers. According to the agency’s analysis, the rule could lead to more than $1.3 trillion in savings for American taxpayers over time and lower the purchase price of new vehicles by roughly $2,400 on average by eliminating certain emissions-related requirements and reporting obligations. The agency also said the rule removes credits for technologies such as automatic engine start-stop systems that had been part of the previous regulatory framework.
The 2009 endangerment finding was adopted after a U.S. Supreme Court decision held that greenhouse gases qualify as air pollutants under the Clean Air Act, giving the EPA authority to regulate them. For more than 15 years, that finding provided the basis for federal efforts to limit emissions from tailpipes, power plants and industrial sources.
Environmental organizations and public health groups criticized the repeal, saying it removes a central tool for controlling pollution that contributes to climate change and associated health risks. Litigation by states and advocacy groups is expected in the coming months, as challengers argue that past court precedent and statutory requirements still support federal authority to regulate greenhouse gases.
The rule also affects vehicle emissions standards that had been set to take effect for future model years. Because the EPA removed the endangerment finding that gave the agency authority to regulate greenhouse gases, automakers are no longer required to meet those federal greenhouse gas limits or compile and report related emissions data.
Supporters of the repeal have said it restores flexibility for manufacturers and reduces what they describe as costly regulatory burdens. They contend that easing federal requirements will provide greater consumer choice in the types of vehicles available and reduce up-front expenses for buyers.
Opponents caution that dismantling the endangerment finding removes the foundation for broader climate protections that have guided emissions policy for more than a decade. They emphasize that greenhouse gases continue to be linked to warming trends and health impacts that have been documented by scientific research and used as the basis for regulation in the past.
Legal and regulatory uncertainty now surrounds how greenhouse gases will be treated under the Clean Air Act moving forward. Some industry and state regulators may pursue their own standards or seek court rulings on the scope of federal authority, which could shape how emissions are addressed in the years ahead.
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