Climate Change is Dead: EPA to Reconsider 2009 Endangerment Finding: Major Step Toward Energy Freedom and Regulatory Reform

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a sweeping move with far-reaching implications, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin has officially announced the agency’s intent to reconsider the 2009 Endangerment Finding, a foundational regulatory ruling that has shaped over a decade of climate policy in the United States.

Working in coordination with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and other federal agencies, this reconsideration could reshape the legal and scientific framework behind EPA’s authority to regulate greenhouse gases.

What Is the Endangerment Finding?

Issued in 2009 during the Obama Administration, the Endangerment Finding determined that emissions of six greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, “endanger” public health and welfare under the Clean Air Act. This allowed the EPA to implement a wide range of climate regulations on everything from vehicles to power plants, many of which have imposed trillions of dollars in economic impact.

Critics have long argued the decision was made without fully considering downstream costs, scientific uncertainties, and the broader economic implications.

Administrator Zeldin: “Time to Follow Science, Law, and Common Sense”

“After 16 years, EPA will formally reconsider the Endangerment Finding,” said Administrator Zeldin. “The Trump Administration will not sacrifice national prosperity, energy security, and personal freedom for an agenda that throttles American industry, consumer choice, and mobility.”

Zeldin pledged to ensure that future regulations are based on science, law, and common sense while pursuing cleaner, safer air, land, and water.

Why This Matters for Americans

According to the EPA’s own regulatory impact analysis, seven major vehicle-related regulations stemming from the Endangerment Finding have cost the U.S. economy over $1 trillion. Critics claim the ruling has raised energy prices, reduced transportation options, and forced unwanted shifts toward electric vehicles.

Russ Vought, Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, said it’s long overdue to reevaluate the foundational legal basis for these climate regulations. “EPA’s regulation of climate affects jobs, wages, and family budgets,” Vought noted.

Voices from the Trump Administration

• Interior Secretary Doug Burgum emphasized innovation over regulation in achieving energy dominance: “We’re prioritizing a clean, affordable, and secure energy future for all Americans.”

• Energy Secretary Chris Wright called the 2009 finding a “regulatory weapon” used to impose costly restrictions without adequate legal justification.

• Transportation Secretary Duffy said reconsidering the finding would allow DOT to promote affordable travel and consumer vehicle choice, instead of mandating electric vehicle adoption.

A Legal and Scientific Overhaul

EPA officials stated that the original Endangerment Finding involved speculative connections and scientific uncertainties that should be reexamined. The agency never assessed how its conclusions would influence downstream regulations, and major Supreme Court rulings since 2009 have clarified how agencies should interpret and apply statutory authority.

Legal milestones cited in this move include:

• West Virginia v. EPA

• Michigan v. EPA

• Utility Air Regulatory Group v. EPA

• Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo

The reconsideration will be transparent and follow the Administrative Procedure Act and Clean Air Act. EPA will solicit public input and involve multiple federal agencies, including:

• Office of Science and Technology Policy

• NOAA

• White House Budget Office

Reclaiming Energy and Environmental Leadership

The announcement comes as part of President Trump’s “Day One” executive orders, signaling the largest single-day deregulation effort in U.S. history.

“This effort marks the beginning of the end for the Green New Deal-style regulations,” said Zeldin. “We will protect the environment while restoring energy freedom, empowering states, and lowering costs for all Americans.”

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