Trump Scraps Obama-Era Climate Finding on Greenhouse Gases and Public Health
- account_circle Friska Putri Aryananta
- calendar_month Jumat, 13 Feb 2026 19:30 WIB
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Environmental Groups Predict Higher Costs, Worse Health
Advocates sharply dispute the promised savings.
Peter Zalzal from the Environmental Defense Fund argued consumers may ultimately pay far more.
“It’s going to force Americans to spend more money, around $1.4tn in additional fuel costs to power these less efficient and higher polluting vehicles,” he said.
He added that health impacts could be severe.
“We’ve also analysed the health impacts and found that the action would result in up to 58,000 additional premature deaths, 37 million more asthma attacks,” he said.
Automakers Caught in the Middle
Some experts believe U.S. manufacturers could face new global challenges if domestic standards weaken while overseas markets keep tightening theirs.
Michael Gerrard of Columbia University said:
“This rollback is sort of cementing things that have already been done, such as the relaxation of the fuel economy standards.”
“But it really does put the US automakers in a bind, because nobody else is going to want to buy American cars.”
A Legal Earthquake Coming
Attorneys expect immediate challenges once the repeal is formalized.
Meghan Greenfield, formerly with the EPA and the Justice Department, noted the original rule has shaped everything from vehicles to landfills and aircraft.
“The endangerment finding has really served as the lynchpin of US regulation of greenhouse gases,” she said.
“So that includes motor vehicles, but it also includes power plants, the oil and gas sector, methane from landfills, even aircraft. So it really runs the gamut, all of the standards for each of the sectors is premised on this one thing.”
She also warned that removing it could reopen courtroom doors that had long been shut.
“The endangerment finding decision has blocked any number of lawsuits, and has been pretty powerful in keeping plaintiffs’ claims out of court ,” she said.
“I would expect states and non-profit groups to bring suits, probably primarily in our state courts, to try to figure out where the contours of this new law are.”
- Penulis: Friska Putri Aryananta
