Trump Administration Repeals EPA Protections - What Does This Mean for Climate Change?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suffered a monumental loss this week when the Trump administration pulled back on the agency's ability to combat climate pollution. Read on for the details of this change and what it may mean for the environment.

Trump Delivers Blow on Fight Against Climate Change

The Trump administration announced a major change in its position on U.S. climate policy on Thursday, significantly impacting the authority of the EPA.  President Donald Trump told the media that his administration was "officially terminating the so-called endangerment finding," referring to the long-standing policy as "disastrous."

Initially issued in 2009, the endangerment finding demonstrated that six greenhouse gases should be deemed dangerous to human health. The finding fell under the Clean Air Act, giving the EPA the authority to limit pollution emanating from power plants, vehicles, and the oil and gas industry. The Clean Air Act is widely considered to be the most consequential tool that the government can lean on to reduce climate pollution.

Trump defended his decision to repeal the regulations, saying that the rules do not have an impact on public health. The president went on to say that the findings were a "giant scam," blaming former presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden for moving forward with what he called a "rip-off of the country."

As part of the change, the Trump administration confirmed that it will also launch a repeal of the rules that control greenhouse gas emissions from cars. These regulations have their roots in the initial endangerment findings. Former President Biden routinely leaned on these standards to push the automotive industry to prioritize the production of fuel-efficient hybrid and electric vehicles.

Without the endangerment finding guiding public policy, the White House can now pull back on other regulations designed to limit climate pollution from energy plants.