Overview

• On July 29, the EPA opened a 45-day public comment period on a draft rule to repeal the 2009 endangerment finding that underpins vehicle and power plant emission standards.
• Administrator Lee Zeldin defended the move in interviews, arguing that the original finding relied on pessimistic assumptions and exceeded the agency’s statutory authority.
• The proposed repeal would eliminate the federal government’s primary tool for regulating greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act.
• Environmental groups and public health experts warn the rollback would reverse decades of air quality improvements and have filed notice of intent to challenge the rule in court.
• With federal limits at risk, states such as Connecticut and California plan to uphold their own emission standards and pursue legal action to maintain climate protections.