Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, The change means looser greenhouse gas regulation for the US auto industry ByMichael Sheils McNameePublished13 February 2026 US President Donald Trump has announced the reversal of the so-called endangerment finding, a key Obama-era scientific ruling that underpins much of US environmental legislation. As a result of this, experts are predicting various environmental and economic impacts, though the decision by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expected to be challenged in the courts from environmental groups. The most obvious outcome of the legislative change is that there will be fewer restrictions placed on greenhouse-gas-producing industries – in particular vehicle manufacturers. The 2009 endangerment finding was the result of a major report, external by the EPA, which identified six greenhouse gases, including carbon monoxide and methane, as endangering current and future generations. The EPA produced the report after a 2007 US Supreme Court decision that it was responsible for regulating greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act – with the court ruling it was "without a doubt", external that these gases counted as air pollutants.
Published: February 13, 2026 5:18 pm
Source: BBC — Read original