Trump announces repeal of key finding underpinning U.S. climate regulations

NEW YORK, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday announced the revocation of a key 2009 climate determination that has served as the legal foundation for federal climate regulations, including rules on greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles and mandates supporting electric vehicle adoption.

Trump and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin unveiled the decision at the White House, describing it as the "single largest deregulatory action in U.S. history."

"We are officially terminating the so-called endangerment finding, a disastrous Obama-era policy that severely damaged the American auto industry and drove up prices for American consumers," Trump said at a news conference.

The determination, known as the 2009 Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding, concluded that carbon dioxide, methane and four other greenhouse gases threaten public health and welfare. It has been used to justify regulations such as vehicle emissions standards and requirements for fossil fuel companies to report their emissions.

"This determination had no basis in fact -- none whatsoever. And it had no basis in law. On the contrary, over the generations, fossil fuels have saved millions of lives and lifted billions of people out of poverty all over the world," Trump said.

Former U.S. President Barack Obama said on X that the endangerment finding has served as the basis for limits on tailpipe emissions and power plant rules. "Without it, we'll be less safe, less healthy and less able to fight climate change -- all so the fossil fuel industry can make even more money."