US President Donald Trump has revoked the Obama-era ruling that classified greenhouse gases as a threat to public health.
The ruling had provided the legal basis to regulate emissions from vehicles, power plants and oil and gas facilities, forming the backbone of US climate rules.
The White House called the rollback the “largest deregulation in American history,” claiming it will save $1.3 trillion and cut vehicle costs by about $2,400.
Trump Scraps Obama-Era Climate Rule, Calls It 'Historic Deregulation'
The 2009 decision gave the government the authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. It formed the legal basis for setting emission standards for cars and light trucks, as well as rules for power plants and oil and gas facilities
US President Donald Trump
Summary
Advertisement
US President Donald Trump has revoked a key scientific finding that has long served as the legal backbone for federal climate regulations in the United States.
The decision reverses the "endangerment finding" issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2009 under former President Barack Obama. That finding officially declared that greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane pose a threat to public health and welfare.
The 2009 decision gave the government the authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. It formed the legal basis for setting emission standards for cars and light trucks, as well as rules for power plants and oil and gas facilities.
It also allowed federal agencies to limit how much climate-warming pollution industries and vehicles could release.
With the revocation, the Trump administration has effectively removed the scientific and legal justification for many federal climate regulations. The White House described the move as the "largest deregulation in American history".
Advertisement
"In this final rule, EPA is saving American taxpayers over $1.3 trillion, eliminating both the Obama-era 2009 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Endangerment Finding and all subsequent federal GHG emission standards for all vehicles and engines of model years 2012 to 2027 and beyond," the agency stated.
According to the administration, rolling back these rules could reduce costs for automakers by about $2,400 per vehicle, which it says would help make cars more affordable for consumers.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said that that the earlier ruling has been the source of 16 years of consumer choice restrictions and trillions of dollars in hidden costs for Americans.
"Referred to by some as the 'Holy Grail' of the 'climate change religion,' the Endangerment Finding is now eliminated. The Trump EPA is strictly following the letter of the law, returning commonsense to policy, delivering consumer choice to Americans and advancing the American Dream," he added.
Advertisement
The move is reportedly seen as a major setback for climate action efforts in the US, as it weakens the framework used to control greenhouse gas emissions.