Trump EPA reportedly seeks to revoke landmark air pollution rule

The Trump administration’s Environmental Protection Agency, led by Administrator Lee Zeldin, is reportedly preparing to roll back the 2009 “endangerment finding,” according to The Wall Street Journal. That determination concluded that greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare and has served as the legal foundation for federal regulation of emissions.

The 2009 finding established the basis for regulating six greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide and methane. Since its adoption, the rule has faced multiple legal challenges but has remained in place.

Any attempt to overturn the finding is expected to prompt extensive litigation and could take years to resolve in the courts. While the immediate impact of the EPA’s action would apply to tailpipe emissions standards for cars and trucks, observers anticipate that the administration could use the repeal as a stepping stone to scale back environmental regulations in other areas, including power generation and industrial operations.

Notably, major legacy automakers — despite previously urging the Trump administration to relax fuel efficiency standards — did not advocate for scrapping the endangerment finding itself. Tesla went further, urging the EPA to preserve the rule, stating that it was “based on a robust factual and scientific record.”

If the repeal effort succeeds, the United States could diverge further from environmental regulatory frameworks in other developed economies. Companies operating internationally may face higher compliance costs as they navigate differing standards across markets.

Automakers, in particular, may encounter a split regulatory landscape. Rapid policy changes in the U.S., combined with mounting competition from Chinese manufacturers, have already imposed significant financial strain on the industry. Regulatory shifts and global market pressures have cost automakers tens of billions of dollars.

The domestic auto sector’s heavy reliance on fossil-fuel-powered trucks has proven highly profitable. Still, it may limit its flexibility to adapt to a future shaped by electric vehicles and increasing competition from Chinese brands.

The Trump administration told The Wall Street Journal that it expects the policy shift to yield savings exceeding $1 trillion, although no detailed analysis was provided to substantiate that estimate.

Meanwhile, projections regarding climate change suggest substantial economic risks. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that nearly $1 trillion in U.S. real estate is vulnerable to rising sea levels. Additionally, researchers have warned that mortality rates in the United States could increase by 2% if global warming continues unchecked. A separate study published in 2024 concluded that climate change could reduce global GDP by 17% by 2050, equivalent to an estimated $38 trillion in annual losses.