Trump Revokes EPA Ruling That Declared Greenhouse Gases A Public Health Threat

Last Updated:February 13, 2026, 08:56 IST

Former US President Barack Obama criticised the rollback, saying it would leave Americans exposed to harm.

US President Donald Trump has overturned a major scientific decision introduced during Barack Obama’s presidency that formed the basis of America’s climate regulations.

The 2009 “endangerment finding" concluded that several greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide and methane, posed a threat to public health. For years, it served as the legal foundation for federal efforts to control emissions, especially from vehicles, power plants, and industry.

Announcing the move on Thursday, the White House described the reversal as the “largest deregulation in American history". Officials argued it would reduce costs for car manufacturers and lower vehicle prices by about $2,400 each.

The White House on Thursday announced the move and described it as the “largest deregulation in American history." Officials argued it would reduce costs for car manufacturers and lower vehicle prices by about $2,400 each.

Trump criticised the earlier policy while speaking in the Oval Office, calling it “a disastrous Obama era policy that severely damaged the American auto industry and massively drove up prices for American consumers". He added, “This radical rule became the legal foundation for the Green New Scam, one of the greatest scams in history."

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) first adopted the finding in 2009, during Obama’s first year in office. With Congress unable to agree on climate legislation at the time, the ruling became central to federal regulation of emissions across sectors such as transport, oil and gas, aviation and landfills.

Legal experts say the decision had wide reach. Former EPA and Justice Department attorney Meghan Greenfield said the finding had acted as the core of US greenhouse-gas regulation, covering multiple industries through a single legal basis.

Trump administration officials claim removing the rule could save more than $1 trillion and make energy and transport cheaper. However, environmental groups strongly disagree and are preparing court challenges.

Former US President Obama also criticised the rollback, saying it would leave Americans exposed to harm. “Without it, we’ll be less safe, less healthy and less able to fight climate change — all so the fossil fuel industry can make even more money," he wrote on X.

News world Trump Revokes EPA Ruling That Declared Greenhouse Gases A Public Health Threat

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