US President Donald Trump has declared the termination of the Obama-era Environmental Protection Agency’s endangerment finding, labeling it as the most extensive deregulatory action in American history. This finding, established in 2009, concluded that greenhouse gases posed a threat to public health and welfare, forming the basis for various emissions standards. Trump criticized this determination, stating it lacked factual and legal grounds.
The President emphasized that this move would result in the elimination of over $1.3 trillion in regulatory costs, leading to a significant drop in car prices. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin hailed this rollback as the most substantial act of deregulation in US history, highlighting the financial benefits for American taxpayers and the automotive industry.
Zeldin further explained that the elimination of the 2009 Obama EPA endangerment finding would save taxpayers billions of dollars, reduce vehicle costs, and provide more options for consumers. Additionally, he mentioned that manufacturers would no longer be compelled to monitor and report greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles and engines.
Trump also announced the repeal of what he termed as “absurd tailpipe emission standards” and the revocation of emissions waivers that would have allowed California to regulate automobile standards nationwide. The administration’s actions were described as a significant step towards dismantling regulations linked to the Green New Deal.
