The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed repealing the 2009 Endangerment Finding, a legal foundation used to justify federal greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions regulations, including Biden-Harris Administration’s electric vehicle (EV) mandate and the now-defunct Phase 3 standards for heavy-duty trucks.
The repeal would eliminate federal electric truck mandates and all vehicle GHG rules introduced since 2010, the agency announced in Indianapolis.
The American Trucking Associations (ATA) publicly supported the decision, saying the GHG Phase 3 rule would have forced an ‘unachievable’ and costly transition to electric trucks.
“This electric-truck mandate put the trucking industry on a path to economic ruin and would have crippled our supply chain, disrupted deliveries, and raised prices for American families and businesses. Moreover, it kicked innovation to the curb by discarding available technologies that can further drive down emissions at a fraction of the cost,” ATA president and CEO Chris Spear said in a news release.
Spear added that while the industry supports cleaner technologies, policies must reflect operational realities. “We thank the Trump Administration for returning us to a path of common sense, so that we can keep delivering for the American people as we continue to reduce our environmental impact,” he said. “For four decades, our industry has proven that we are committed to reducing emissions.”
If finalized, the proposal would repeal all resulting greenhouse gas emissions regulations for motor vehicles and engines, reinstating consumer choice in purchasing affordable vehicles for families and businesses, and decreasing the cost of living on all products that trucks deliver, EPA said in a related statement, adding that the repeal is expected to save Americans $54 billion in costs annually.
EPA administrator Lee Zeldin said rescinding the Endangerment Finding would end what he called “$1 trillion or more in hidden taxes” imposed on Americans through regulatory actions. “We heard loud and clear the concern that EPA’s GHG emissions standards themselves, not carbon dioxide which the Finding never assessed independently, was the real threat to Americans’ livelihoods,” he claimed.
The repeal would eliminate greenhouse gas standards for all classes of vehicles, including off-cycle requirements such as start-stop technology. It would also remove legal authority under Section 202(a) of the Clean Air Act for EPA to regulate GHG emissions from new vehicles and engines.
EPA claims its proposal is backed by ‘updated scientific data that challenge the assumptions behind the 2009 Endangerment Finding.’ Cited data includes the updated studies and information in the Department of Energy’s 2025 Climate Work Group study that is concurrently being released for public comment, EPA said.
The agency will open a public comment period before finalizing the repeal. Further details will be published in the Federal Register and on the EPA’s website.
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