Trump administration pushes to end core climate safeguard

President Donald Trump is set to repeal an Obama-era scientific finding that forms the legal basis for federal climate regulations, reports the Wall Street Journal.

The move marks one of the largest environmental rollbacks in recent history.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to overturn the 2009 “endangerment finding,” which concluded that greenhouse gases endanger public health and provided the legal foundation for EPA regulations that allowed it to set vehicle and power plant emissions standards under the Clean Air Act.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the move could be the largest act of deregulation in US history. The rollback would strip the federal government of its primary authority to regulate carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, significantly weakening future climate policy.

Officials estimate the rollback could cut more than $1 trillion in regulatory costs and save consumers about $2,400 per vehicle.

The repeal would not immediately affect rules for power plants or oil-and-gas facilities, but it could pave the way for broader changes.

Analysts say if Washington eases federal car-emissions rules, states could impose stricter standards of their own.

President Trump argues that expanding fossil-fuel use will lower energy prices and strengthen national security. The administration also plans support for coal plants and new federal energy agreements.

Supporters, including some industry groups, claim the repeal will reduce regulatory burdens on automakers and other sectors, though many remain cautious due to legal uncertainty.