EPA Proposes Repeal of 2009 Climate Endangerment Finding Nationwide

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), under President Donald Trump's administration and led by Administrator Lee Zeldin, has proposed repealing the 2009 endangerment finding that greenhouse gases pose a threat to public health and welfare, effectively dismantling a key legal and scientific basis for climate regulations. This move would eliminate regulations on vehicle emissions and is framed by the administration as correcting legal and scientific errors made by previous administrations, with claims that it would reduce hidden taxes on businesses and families. However, governors such as Tony Evers of Wisconsin, Gavin Newsom of California, and Jared Polis of Colorado have condemned the proposal, citing the ongoing and worsening impacts of climate change, including extreme weather, wildfires, and public health risks. Climate scientists have criticized the EPA's justification for the repeal as relying on cherry-picked and misrepresented data, undermining decades of peer-reviewed research that confirms human-driven climate change. The Trump administration's budget cuts also threaten key climate science programs like the Mauna Loa Observatory, further raising concerns about the future of climate monitoring and research in the U.S. Overall, the EPA's proposal has been described as the largest deregulatory action in U.S. history, sparking widespread opposition from environmental advocates and scientific experts who warn of severe consequences for climate policy and public health.