Trump rescinds EPA 'endangerment' finding and alters federal climate authority

President Trump announced repeal of the EPA’s 2009 'endangerment finding,' removing the federal determination that greenhouse gases endanger public health; legal challenges are expected.

President Trump announced the repeal of the Environmental Protection Agency's 2009 "endangerment finding," which had determined that greenhouse gases threaten human health and welfare. That finding had been the legal basis for federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act. The administration publicly characterized the finding as unrelated to public health. The action withdraws formal federal recognition that the gases were officially classified as an endangerment. Key facts: - The EPA's 2009 endangerment finding concluded that greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare and enabled federal emissions regulations. - The president announced the administration would repeal that finding and stated it was not a public health issue, according to the article. - The article reports that legal challenges are expected and that repealing the finding would remove a key legal foundation for federal climate rules. Summary: Removing the endangerment finding withdraws formal federal recognition that greenhouse gases endanger health, which the article says underpins many federal emissions rules. Legal challenges are expected; the timing and outcomes of any litigation are undetermined at this time.