The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to rescind a landmark 2009 legal opinion that greenhouse gas emissions put human health at risk, which underpins many of the government’s actions to combat climate change. The move could have significant implications for the country’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate the effects of global warming.
The “endangerment finding,” as it is known, determines that greenhouse gas emissions endanger public health and welfare, providing the legal justification for regulating them under the Clean Air Act. However, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced in March that the agency would reconsider the finding, citing a need to strike a balance between economic concerns and environmental protection.
A draft proposal, which is still subject to change, would eliminate all resulting limits on motor vehicle greenhouse gas emissions. The move is seen as a major blow to climate change policies, with some experts warning that it could be challenged in court and undermine the country’s ability to address the crisis.
The EPA has stated that it sent its proposal to the Office of Management and Budget for review, but no details have been released on the draft policy’s contents. The proposal will be published for public comment before it is finalized.
Environmental advocates are strongly opposed to the plan, with David Doniger of the Natural Resources Defense Council calling it “mind-bogglingly contrary to the evidence.” Thomas Pyle of the Institute for Energy Research, a conservative think tank, supports the administration’s efforts to review the endangerment finding, citing concerns about Congress’s mandate for EPA action.
The move is seen as part of a broader effort to roll back environmental regulations during the Trump administration’s second term. The EPA has already announced plans to reconsider dozens of environmental rollbacks, and this proposal could be just the beginning.
As one expert noted, “Withdrawing the endangerment finding is in effect a repudiation of scientific reality.” The impact of the proposed repeal on climate change policies will depend on how it plays out in court and what actions are taken by policymakers.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2025/07/22/endangerment-finding-epa-climate