Donald Trump just declared war on Earth itself because bankrupting casinos wasn’t destructive enough

The Trump administration is working to undo a key part of federal climate policy by proposing to cancel a 2009 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) decision that greenhouse gas pollution harms public health and the environment.

This controversial move, now being reviewed by the White House, marks a major step away from efforts to fight global warming, going against decades of scientific evidence and established rules.

The center of the federal government’s climate efforts is the EPA’s “endangerment finding.” Created in 2009 under the Obama administration, this decision stated that pollutants from burning fossil fuels, like carbon dioxide and methane, are dangerous to people and can be controlled under the Clean Air Act, per NPR.

This finding was not made arbitrarily but came directly from a 2007 Supreme Court case, Massachusetts v. EPA, which ordered the agency to regulate carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions. For years, this finding has been the key legal and scientific basis for many policies and rules meant to reduce climate change.

The fight against Climate Change just got a lot weaker

The endangerment finding has wide-ranging effects, supporting many federal regulations aimed at cutting climate pollution. These include important rules for emissions from coal and gas power plants, standards for vehicle exhaust, and limits on methane released by the oil and gas industry. These rules are the federal government’s main way of managing human-caused greenhouse gas pollution that drives global warming.

The Trump administration’s reasons for canceling this critical finding are varied, mostly focusing on economic arguments and claims that regulations have gone too far. Officials say the proposal will lower living costs for American families, boost U.S. energy production, and bring back auto manufacturing jobs. The administration claims the 2009 endangerment finding was made in a “flawed and unorthodox way” by the previous administration, arguing it did not fully follow the Clean Air Act.

This move fits with the administration’s larger energy plan, which strongly supports fossil fuels. When taking office, the president declared a “national energy emergency” and signed an order called “Unleash American Energy.” This policy shifts focus away from past climate efforts and toward expanding U.S. oil and gas production, summed up by the phrase “drill, baby, drill” and a goal of bringing back American prosperity.

The plan to cancel the endangerment finding has faced strong pushback from environmental groups and climate activists, who see it as an attack on the EPA’s duty to address climate change harms.

They point out that the EPA has repeatedly confirmed the 2009 finding over the years. Also, laws have changed, with the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act clearly calling greenhouse gases pollutants under the Clean Air Act, making it harder to abandon the finding. Opponents say the administration is putting fossil fuel companies first, with reports suggesting officials have asked oil executives for financial support in exchange for weakening environmental rules.

Even with the administration’s strong efforts, a long legal fight is expected. The proposal could still be blocked by courts, and it must go through public comment periods and official rulemaking steps before any changes happen.