Source: The Wall Street Journal

Date Published: 07.29.2025

Link: Climate Regulation Liberation Day

The Environmental Protection Agency announced plans to repeal the 2009 Obama-era endangerment finding for greenhouse gases, arguing that carbon dioxide is fundamentally different from traditional pollutants and does not directly harm human health at ambient levels. The move challenges the Supreme Court’s 2007 Massachusetts v. EPA ruling, which allowed greenhouse gases to be regulated under the Clean Air Act if deemed a threat to public welfare, and seeks to limit federal authority over emissions rules that have driven electric vehicle mandates and fossil fuel plant retirements. Supporters cite scientific uncertainty over CO2’s climate impacts, while opponents plan to sue to protect the foundation of federal climate regulation. Repealing the finding would slow national decarbonization efforts and make it harder for cities pursuing net-zero goals to meet their targets, forcing them to rely more heavily on state policies and local initiatives.