Trump Decimates Obama-Era Green Agenda With ‘Largest Deregulatory Action In History’

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin on Thursday moved to eliminate the “2009 Obama EPA Endangerment Finding,” a decision that could unwind the legal foundation for most federal greenhouse gas emissions standards on vehicles and engines.

The 2009 determination declared that carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and three other greenhouse gases “endanger the public health and welfare of current and future generations” under the Clean Air Act. That finding triggered a wave of regulations that shaped mileage standards, tailpipe emissions standards, and vehicle technologies.

A subsequent Supreme Court ruling in Massachusetts v. EPA held that greenhouse gases qualify as air pollutants. The court said the EPA can regulate them if the agency concludes they pose a danger to public health or welfare.

Zeldin framed Thursday’s rollback as a response to consumer frustration, pointing specifically to the controversial engine start-stop feature.

“As I traveled across all 50 states this past year, I heard from countless Americans who not only dislike the (motor-vehicle) start-stop feature but passionately advocated for this mechanism to be a thing of the past,” Zeldin said.

“Not only do many people find start-stop annoying, but it kills the battery of your car without any significant benefit to the environment. The Trump EPA is proudly fixing this stupid feature at Trump Speed.”

Zeldin argued automakers should not be forced to adopt or receive incentives for technologies he described as a “climate participation trophy” that delivers no meaningful reduction in pollution. He added that consumer choice will remain a guiding principle for the agency and pledged continued advocacy for “commonsense rules.”

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Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said resetting mileage standards and scrapping regulations tied to greenhouse gas rules align with President Donald Trump’s push to lower costs and revive U.S. manufacturing.

All federal greenhouse gas emissions standards for vehicles and engines enacted after the 2009 finding will be rescinded, according to a source familiar with the matter.

One flashpoint is start-stop “off-cycle” technology. The EPA created credits for the feature in 2012, allowing automakers to claim greenhouse gas benefits even as drivers bristled at engines shutting off at red lights or bank drive-thrus.

Critics have long called the system a regulatory loophole, arguing it allows manufacturers to accumulate credits without delivering measurable emissions reductions or health gains.

RELATED: Supreme Court Issues Major Ruling Against Climate Crazies

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt praised the move, calling it “the largest deregulatory action in American history.”

She said it “will save the American people $1.3 trillion in crushing regulations,” according to multiple reports.

Environmental groups quickly signaled a legal fight.

“The Trump administration is abandoning its core responsibility to keep us safe from extreme weather and accelerating climate change,” Earthjustice president Abigail Dillen told PBS.

“There is no way to reconcile EPA’s decision with the law, the science and the reality of disasters that are hitting us harder every year. Earthjustice and our partners will see the Trump administration in court.”

Several Democratic-led states also pushed back.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said he “stands by (the) science” behind the prior EPA guidance.

“Protecting people’s health and making our air cleaner should never be a partisan issue,” Polis said.

“The science is clear that pollution from cars and trucks harms our air quality and puts families — especially kids, seniors, and those with health conditions — at greater risk. Rolling back long-standing protections creates uncertainty for consumers and businesses at a time when we should be investing in cleaner air, innovation, and energy diversity.”

“These investments aren’t just the right thing for our climate, it’s good business,” Polis added. “Clear, science-based standards give companies the certainty they need to invest and create jobs. Colorado will continue to stand behind science and protect the health and well-being of Coloradans.”

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