During a visit to Indianapolis on Tuesday, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced that the Trump administration plans to rescind a declaration made in 2009 that had long been the basis for U.S. action to regulate motor vehicle and engine emissions.
If finalized, the proposal would repeal the Biden administration’s electric vehicle (EV) mandate, as well as all resulting greenhouse gas emissions regulations for vehicles and engines across the entire U.S.
Zeldin says that declaration, known as the 2009 Endangerment Finding, had been used to justify over $1 trillion in regulations.
During his announcement, Zeldin was joined by U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, as well as Governor Mike Braun (R-IN) and Congressman Jim Baird (R-IN-04), as he spoke from Kenworth of Indianapolis East.
Lee Zeldin, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):
“With this proposal, the Trump EPA is proposing to end sixteen years of uncertainty for automakers and American consumers. In our work so far, many stakeholders have told me that the Obama and Biden EPAs twisted the law, ignored precedent, and warped science to achieve their preferred ends and stick American families with hundreds of billions of dollars in hidden taxes every single year. We heard loud and clear the concern that EPA’s GHG emissions standards themselves, not carbon dioxide which the Finding never assessed independently, was the real threat to Americans’ livelihoods. If finalized, rescinding the Endangerment Finding and resulting regulations would end $1 trillion or more in hidden taxes on American businesses and families.”
U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright:
“Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, America is returning to free and open dialogue around climate and energy policy – driving the focus back to following the data. Today’s announcement is a monumental step toward returning to commonsense policies that expand access to affordable, reliable, secure energy and improve quality of life for all Americans.”
Governor Mike Braun (R-IN):
“The Obama-Biden EPA used regulations as a political tool and hurt American competitiveness without results to show for it. Today’s announcement is a win for consumer choice, common sense, and American energy independence. President Trump, Secretary Wright, and Administrator Zeldin are returning the EPA to its proper role, and I’m proud they chose Indiana as the place to make this announcement because our state is proof we can protect our environment and support American jobs.”
Congressman Jim Baird (R-IN-04):
“Thanks to the outstanding work of President Trump, Administrator Zeldin, and Secretary Wright, the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy are ending costly, sweeping vehicle emissions standards and ending the authoritarian EV mandates. Once again, this administration is standing up for common sense and our great American automakers and consumers. I thank Administrator Zeldin and Secretary Wright for their historic action to unleash American innovation, implement sound energy policies, and lower costs for American families.”
Congressman Mark Messmer (R-IN-08):
“The Endangerment Finding has long been a Democrat tool to issue burdensome regulations that ignore commonsense science in pursuit of radical Green New Deal aligned agendas. I applaud Secretary Wright, Director Zeldin and the entire Trump Administration for making sure we cut the red tape that is unnecessarily impeding American business, while also preserving our nation’s precious natural resources.
Source: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
