ICYMI: EPA Launches the Largest Deregulatory Actions in U.S. History with Proposal to Rescind Obama-Era Endangerment Finding
July 30, 2025
Contact Information
EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov)
WASHINGTON — Yesterday in Indianapolis, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin released the agency’s proposal to rescind the 2009 Endangerment Finding, which has been used to justify over $1 trillion in regulations, including the Biden-Harris Administration’s electric vehicle mandate. If finalized, the proposal would repeal all greenhouse gas standards for light-, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles and heavy-duty engines, thereby reinstating consumer choice while decreasing the cost of living on all products that trucks deliver. It would also mark one of the largest deregulatory actions in American history.
The Endangerment Finding is the legal prerequisite used by the Obama and Biden Administrations to regulate emissions from new motor vehicles and new motor vehicle engines. Absent this finding, EPA would lack statutory authority under Section 202(a) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) to prescribe standards for greenhouse gas emissions.
This proposal, if finalized, is expected to save Americans $54 billion in costs annually through the repeal of all greenhouse gas standards, including the Biden EPA’s electric vehicle mandate, under conservative economic forecasts.
Read coverage below on one of the most consequential proposals for American businesses and families.
Hoosier Ag Today: EPA Administrator Zeldin Visits Indianapolis To Announce Plan Repealing Electric Vehicle Mandates
“During a visit to Indianapolis on Tuesday, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced that the Trump administration plans to rescind a declaration made in 2009 that had long been the basis for U.S. action to regulate motor vehicle and engine emissions. If finalized, the proposal would repeal the Biden administration’s electric vehicle mandate, as well as all resulting greenhouse gas emissions regulations for vehicles and engines across the entire U.S. Zeldin says that declaration, known as the 2009 Endangerment Finding, had been used to justify over $1 trillion in regulations.”
Tampa Free Press: Buckle Up, America: EPA Axes Obama-Era Climate Rule, Paving Way For Cheaper Cars
“In a move set to reshape the American economy and put consumer choice back in the driver’s seat, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today unveiled a groundbreaking proposal to rescind the Obama-era Endangerment Finding. This action, announced by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin in Indianapolis, directly targets regulations that have been costing American families and businesses an estimated $1 trillion and mandating the shift to electric vehicles. If finalized, this proposal promises to deliver over $54 billion in annual savings and unleash a new era of affordability and freedom for car buyers.”
Miranda Devine for the New York Post: Trump Rolling Back ‘Trillion Dollars’ of Dem Green Car Regulations
“A trillion dollars worth of Obama-era greenhouse gas regulations for cars, trucks and engines will be axed this year, along with the unpopular stop-start feature in vehicles, EPA boss Lee Zeldin plans to announce Tuesday. The EPA proposal to repeal the 2009 ‘Endangerment Finding’ represents a major rollback of US climate action, and follows President Trump’s Day One executive order, ‘Unleashing American Energy.”
Wall Street Journal Editorial Board: Climate Regulation Liberation Day
“The Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday declared Liberation Day from climate imperialism by moving to repeal the 2009 so-called endangerment finding for greenhouse gas emissions. This will make it harder for the feds to dictate what kind of car or lawn-mower you can buy, among other benefits... EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and Energy Secretary Chris Wright deserve credit for not shrinking from this fight.”
National Review Editors: Lee Zeldin’s EPA Liberates American Industry
“In March, we cheered the news that Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin planned to ‘reconsider’ the Obama EPA’s 2009 ‘Endangerment Finding.’ That finding allowed the EPA to regulate fossil fuel emissions under the Clean Air Act. On Tuesday, Zeldin announced that the EPA intends to rescind the finding, a step he described as ‘the largest deregulatory action in the history of the United States.’ This strikes a major blow against intrusive regulation of the energy, automotive, and manufacturing sectors... In the interim, we applaud Zeldin and the EPA for the boldness to liberate American industry to compete in world markets.”
New York Post Editorial Board: Axing EPA’s ‘Endangerment’ BS Will Unleash a New Era of U.S. Prosperity
“Hooray for President Donald Trump and EPA chief Lee Zeldin for moving to roll back trillions of dollars in federal mandates by undoing the Obama-era greenhouse-gas ‘endangerment’ finding. Back in 2009, Environmental Protection Agency functionaries listed carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases as posing a public-health threat — not for any actual toxicity, but because of their role in speeding global warming. That in turn allowed for unprecedented EPA regulation of factories, power plants and auto emissions — including the hated stop-start feature. None of it ever made sense: Congress created the EPA in 1970 to fight actual poisons in our water and air, not to manage complex bank-shot contingencies as the ‘endangerment’ finding envisioned.”
Fox Business: EPA Unveils Plans to Revoke Obama-era Climate Endangerment Finding
“Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin unveiled plans Tuesday to scrap the Obama-era endangerment finding declaration, which serves as the legal foundation for a host of climate regulations stemming from the Clean Air Act... ‘With this proposal, the Trump EPA is proposing to end sixteen years of uncertainty for automakers and American consumers,’ Zeldin said in a statement Tuesday.”
Fox News: EPA Chief Zeldin Delivers Dagger to the Heart of Obama's Climate Change Agenda on ‘Ruthless’ Podcast
“Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin will rescind the Obama administration’s endangerment finding declaration in the ‘largest deregulatory action in the history of America,’ he announced Tuesday on the ‘Ruthless’ podcast... Zeldin will officially make the announcement that will drive ‘a dagger into the heart of the climate change religion’ later in the day in Indiana.”
Breitbart: Lee Zeldin to Rescind 'Holy Grail of the Climate Change Religion'
“The EPA has said the Endangerment Finding has been used to justify over $1 trillion in regulations, including the Biden-Harris administration’s electric vehicle mandate. Scrapping the so-called Endangerment Finding would repeal all of the greenhouse emissions regulations for motor vehicles and engines and give Americans consumer choice.”
New York Post: EPA Chief Lee Zeldin to Repeal ‘Holy Grail’ Obama-era Emissions Finding that Hiked Energy Costs For Years
“Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin is moving to repeal an Obama-era emissions finding that underpinned $1 trillion in regulations — leading to higher energy costs for more than a decade... ‘In our work so far, many stakeholders have told me that the Obama and Biden EPAs twisted the law, ignored precedent, and warped science to achieve their preferred ends and stick American families with hundreds of billions of dollars in hidden taxes every single year,’ said the former Long Island congressman.”
Commercial Carrier Journal: EPA Set to Unravel 'Disastrous' Federal Trucking Emissions Regulations
“The Trump administration on Tuesday proposed a draft rule rolling back the Greenhouse Gas Phase 3 rule, among the last of – if not the biggest – looming Biden-era emissions regulations facing the trucking industry. The proposal was announced jointly with Environmental Protection Agency Administrator (EPA) Lee Zeldin's call to revoke the Endangerment Finding that has allowed presidential administrations to regulate greenhouse gases since 2009.”
WTHR NBC13: EPA Proposes Elimination of Greenhouse Gas Emission Rules
“The Crossroads of America was front and center Tuesday on the national stage. Gov. Mike Braun and other Indiana leaders hosted visitors from Washington as the head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. secretary of energy came to town for a big announcement they characterized could lead to the largest deregulatory action in U.S. history. The announcement came against the backdrop of one of the country's oldest truck manufacturers, Kenworth.”
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