Trump Administration Moves to Rescind Key Climate Findings
On Wednesday, the Trump administration is expected to retract an essential greenhouse gas assessment established during Obama’s presidency. This 2009 Endangerment Finding pinpointed six greenhouse gases deemed a “threat to public health and welfare.” It provided the basis for extensive climate regulations by the EPA, which included stricter fuel economy requirements and emissions limits for power plants, as reported by The Wall Street Journal.
In a conversation with the Journal, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin lauded the decision, suggesting it would reduce bureaucratic obstacles. “This represents the largest act of deregulation in American history,” he claimed.
Criticism from Democrats
Democrats have raised concerns, alleging that the EPA’s move aims to abolish the greenhouse gas reporting program that underpins cap-and-trade initiatives.
The forthcoming final rule is set to be released later this week and will remove obligations for measuring and reporting federal greenhouse gas emissions for vehicles. Notably, this rollback does not currently impact emissions from power plants or oil and gas operations.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum echoed this sentiment, stating, “More energy fuels human prosperity,” and emphasized the need for an abundance of energy rather than focused regulation.
On Wednesday, President Trump is set to hold an event featuring Zeldin and Energy Secretary Chris Wright, during which they will discuss the new initiative aiming to procure electricity from coal-fired power plants.
Additionally, the Washington Coal Club plans to honor Trump as the “Undisputed Coal Champion” at the same event.
Throughout both of his terms, Trump has been a vocal critic of climate regulations. He notably withdrew from the Paris Climate Accord shortly after taking office in 2017.
Recently, Trump cited a series of extreme winter storms across the U.S. as evidence against claims of climate change. He pointed out, “Record cold weather is expected to hit 40 states. We’ve rarely seen anything like this before.” He questioned, “What happened to global warming?”
