Trump’s epa moves to strip away its own power to regulate carbon emissions and air pollution

The Environmental Protection Agency under President Trump is taking unprecedented steps that could fundamentally dismantle its ability to protect public health and combat climate change. Rather than simply relaxing regulations as previous Republican administrations have done, the EPA is now moving to eliminate its core regulatory powers entirely.

The agency is preparing to repeal the landmark “endangerment finding” — an Obama-era rule that gives the EPA authority to regulate greenhouse gases that cause global warming. Simultaneously, it plans to scrap automotive carbon emission limits and has already stopped calculating the health benefits of regulating industrial pollution. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin is touring Michigan and Ohio this week promoting what he calls “Freedom Means Affordable Cars,” touting the relaxation of environmental standards for gasoline vehicles.

Legal experts and former EPA officials warn these changes go far beyond typical partisan policy shifts. If upheld in court, they could amount to a “backdoor repeal” of the EPA’s mission. The agency would retain its funding and staff but lose the ability to limit greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles (which account for 25% of U.S. climate pollution) or effectively regulate other air pollutants like soot and ozone.

Surprisingly, even major polluting industries are opposing these moves. The Business Roundtable, representing companies like General Motors and Chevron, warned that eliminating federal oversight could create “chaotic and unpredictable” regulations across different states. Environmental groups submitted thousands of negative comments, while legal scholars note that the Supreme Court has previously upheld the EPA’s authority to regulate carbon dioxide as “unambiguous.”