EPA rescinds landmark climate change ruling, clearing way for Trump to roll back more rules

The administration claims the 2009 endangerment finding has "no basis in fact," despite overwhelming scientific evidence of climate change's harms.

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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The Trump administration has rescinded the EPA's 2009 endangerment finding that greenhouse gas emissions endanger public health and welfare, a decision that will allow the administration to roll back climate regulations on vehicles, industries, and other sources. The administration claims the finding has "no basis in fact," but experts say the scientific evidence for climate change's harms is stronger than ever. The move is expected to face swift legal challenges, but could still lead to a retreat from U.S. efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Why it matters

The endangerment finding has underpinned EPA actions on climate change since 2009, so rescinding it clears the way for the Trump administration to dismantle a wide range of environmental regulations. This could accelerate the rollback of policies meant to slow climate change, despite overwhelming scientific evidence that greenhouse gas emissions are causing significant harm to public health and welfare.

The details

In 2009, the EPA formally declared that greenhouse gas emissions endanger public health and welfare, based on years of scientific evidence. This "endangerment finding" has been the legal foundation for EPA climate regulations ever since. The Trump administration is now terminating this finding, arguing it has "no basis in fact." However, the world has experienced its three hottest years on record, and scientific evidence of climate change's harms is stronger than ever. The administration's claim that the finding was scientifically flawed has been widely criticized, and the move is expected to face swift legal challenges.

  • In 2009, the EPA issued the endangerment finding based on years of scientific evidence.
  • On February 16, 2026, the Trump administration announced it had "terminated" the endangerment finding.

The players

EPA

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the federal agency responsible for protecting human health and the environment.

Donald Trump

The President of the United States, who has dismissed the scientific consensus on climate change and is now moving to roll back EPA regulations on greenhouse gas emissions.

Lee Zeldin

The EPA Administrator who announced the administration's decision to terminate the endangerment finding, claiming it had "no basis in law."

Lisa Jackson

The EPA Administrator under President Obama who announced the original endangerment finding in 2009.

Chris Wright

The Energy Secretary who handpicked a panel of climate change skeptics to review the scientific evidence, in a move that was found to violate federal law.

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What they’re saying

“This is as big as it gets.”

— Lee Zeldin, EPA Administrator (timesofsandiego.com)

“The finding that greenhouse gas emissions endanger public health and welfare 'had no basis in fact. None whatsoever.'”

— Donald Trump (timesofsandiego.com)

What’s next

Environmental groups are expected to file lawsuits quickly to challenge the EPA's decision to rescind the endangerment finding. The legal battle could eventually reach the Supreme Court.

The takeaway

This move by the Trump administration represents a major setback in U.S. efforts to address climate change, despite the overwhelming scientific evidence that greenhouse gas emissions are causing significant harm to public health and welfare. It clears the way for further rollbacks of environmental regulations, and could discourage scientific research and data collection on climate change.