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• The EPA, under the Trump administration, is rolling back dozens of landmark environmental regulations, including those on climate change and air pollution.
• The move targets 31 environmental rules, including the 2009 endangerment finding that greenhouse gases harm public health.
• Environmental groups and scientists vow to fight these changes, citing overwhelming scientific evidence on climate change.

Quick Brief

2-Minute Digest

Essential Context

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced a sweeping plan to roll back numerous environmental regulations, labeling it the “most consequential day of deregulation in American history.” This move includes revisiting the 2009 endangerment finding that greenhouse gases pose a threat to public health and welfare.

Core Players

• Lee Zeldin – EPA Administrator
• Donald Trump – President of the United States
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
• Sierra Club

Key Numbers

• 31 – Number of environmental rules to be rolled back
• 2009 – Year of the endangerment finding on greenhouse gases
• $2 billion – Savings claimed by EPA from canceled grants
• 2030 – Target year for half of new cars and trucks to be zero-emission, as per previous Biden administration goals

Full Depth

Complete Coverage

The Catalyst

“We are driving a dagger straight into the heart of the climate change religion,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, reflecting the administration’s stance on climate regulations. This announcement is part of a broader effort to dismantle environmental regulations seen as burdensome to industry.

The move follows an executive order from President Trump aimed at ending what he terms “radical and wasteful government DEI programs and preferences.”

Inside Forces

The EPA’s decision to roll back these regulations is part of a larger strategy to reduce regulatory costs and promote economic growth. Zeldin argued that these actions will lower the cost of living for American families and make essentials like buying a car, heating homes, and operating businesses more affordable.

However, environmental groups and scientists argue that these rollbacks will have severe environmental and health consequences, particularly for vulnerable communities.

Power Dynamics

The Trump administration holds significant power in shaping environmental policy, but these changes face strong opposition from environmental groups, scientists, and some states. “In the face of overwhelming science, it’s impossible to think that the EPA could develop a contradictory finding that would stand up in court,” said David Doniger, a climate expert at the NRDC.

The administration’s actions also include closing environmental justice offices, which have been crucial in protecting poor and minority communities from pollution.

Outside Impact

The broader implications of these rollbacks are far-reaching. They could lead to increased pollution from coal-fired power plants, industrial sites, and vehicles, exacerbating climate change and public health issues. Environmentalists and climate scientists are adamant that these changes will not withstand legal scrutiny.

“The Trump administration’s ignorance is trumped only by its malice toward the planet,” said Jason Rylander, legal director at the Center for Biological Diversity’s Climate Law Institute.

Future Forces

The process to roll back these regulations will be lengthy and contentious. It involves proposing changes, justifying them with science and law, and listening to public comments. Environmental groups are prepared to fight these changes every step of the way.

Key areas of future conflict include the regulation of greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, vehicles, and industrial sites, as well as the protection of wetlands and the enforcement of environmental justice.

Data Points

• March 12, 2025 – Date of EPA’s announcement to roll back environmental regulations
• 2022 – Year the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights was expanded under the Biden administration
• 1992 – Year the Office of Environmental Justice was established during the George H.W. Bush administration
• $2 trillion – Estimated regulatory costs to be eliminated by the rollbacks