EPA Rolls Back GHG Emission Standards and Endangerment Finding
Summary
The EPA, under Administrator Lee Zeldin and President Trump, has announced the repeal of the 2009 Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding and all subsequent federal GHG emission standards for vehicles and engines. This action is projected to save American taxpayers over $1.3 trillion and is described as the largest deregulatory action in U.S. history.
What changed
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a final rule rescinding the 2009 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Endangerment Finding and all associated federal GHG emission standards for vehicles and engines, covering model years 2012 through 2027 and beyond. This action, announced by Administrator Lee Zeldin and President Trump, is characterized as the largest deregulatory measure in U.S. history and is expected to save taxpayers over $1.3 trillion. West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey praised the repeal, calling the original finding unconstitutional and based on "pseudoscience," arguing it increased the cost of products and was designed to phase out gasoline-powered vehicles.
This repeal will significantly impact automotive manufacturers and transportation companies by removing federal mandates on GHG emissions for a substantial range of vehicle model years. While the rule is presented as a cost-saving measure for consumers and taxpayers, it is likely to face legal challenges, with West Virginia vowing to be at the forefront of defending the EPA's deregulation. Compliance officers should note the removal of all federal GHG emission standards for affected vehicles, which may alter product development and compliance strategies for manufacturers. The document implies that the market, rather than regulation, should dictate vehicle technology, citing consumer preferences and automaker production shifts away from electric vehicles.
What to do next
- Review impact of removed GHG emission standards on product lines and compliance strategies.
- Monitor ongoing litigation challenging the repeal of the GHG Endangerment Finding and associated standards.
Source document (simplified)
Attorney General McCuskey praises rollback of costly EPA over-regulation
February 12, 2026
Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin, alongside President Trump, announced the single largest deregulatory action in U.S. history. In this final rule, EPA is eliminating both the Obama-era 2009 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Endangerment Finding and all subsequent federal GHG emission standards for all vehicles and engines of model years 2012 to 2027 and beyond. The action will save American taxpayers over $1.3 trillion.
West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey released the following statement about today’s action:
“I am enormously excited for this announcement. The Trump administration promised to deregulate, and repealing the unconstitutional Obama-era ‘endangerment finding’ is the single most impactful deregulatory action in American history. This rule was the first salvo of a war against working class Americans. It adopted a radical agenda based on pseudoscience, and it raised the price of every single American product.
“The endangerment finding’s impact can’t be overstated. It has cost American families over a trillion dollars since its adoption in 2009. So, EPA’s repeal efforts will save American families money and make vehicles—and every good transported by them—more affordable.
“The Obama administration designed this rule to force gas cars to go the way of the 8-track. But American consumers have spoken. And with auto makers like Ford announcing production halts on electric vehicles, the market has listened. This repeal will no doubt be challenged in court, and West Virginia will be on the front lines of this litigation. Defending EPA’s deregulation is essential to both affordability and the rule of law. The Obama EPA’s 2009 endangerment finding was an unconstitutional overreach. Because of cases like West Virginia v. EPA and Loper-Bright, courts recognize that federal agencies, like the EPA, can’t regulate beyond their congressional authorization. In issuing the endangerment finding, EPA grossly expanded its own powers—well beyond those Congress granted it in the Clean Air Act. Repealing the endangerment finding is long overdue.”
Contact Name Kallie Cart
Contact Phone
304-558-2021 Contact Email kcart@wvago.gov
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