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EPA Reverses Long-Standing Climate Change Finding, Stripping Its Own Ability To Regulate Emissions (nbcnews.com) 149

President Donald Trump announced Thursday that the Environmental Protection Agency is rescinding the legal finding that it has relied on for nearly two decades to limit the heat-trapping pollution that spews from vehicle tailpipes, oil refineries and factories. From a report: The repeal of that landmark determination, known as the endangerment finding, will upend most U.S. policies aimed at curbing climate change. The finding -- which the EPA issued in 2009 -- said the global warming caused by greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane endangers the health and welfare of current and future generations.

"We are officially terminating the so-called endangerment finding, a disastrous Obama-era policy," Trump said at a news conference. "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."

Major environmental groups have disputed the administration's stance on the endangerment finding and have been preparing to sue in response to its repeal.

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EPA Reverses Long-Standing Climate Change Finding, Stripping Its Own Ability To Regulate Emissions

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  • by Baron_Yam ( 643147 ) on Friday February 13, 2026 @01:40PM (#65986948)

    ...but stupidity has infinite potential.

    • by gweihir ( 88907 )

      Especially when they all somebody else has to pay ...

  • by PackMan97 ( 244419 ) on Friday February 13, 2026 @01:42PM (#65986956)
    This is what happens when we have kings in the White House issuing decrees. A new king comes in and wipes out the decrees from the old king.

    As disastrous as this sounds, the short term impact will be minimal. Companies are not going to invest in new capability without having a stable regulatory environment. If Dems lose big in Nov '26, they might then...but if Dems win big, expect companies to do nothing knowing that in 2028 the Endangerment Finding will be back and even more dire.

    At the end of the day, Congress should be legislating these types of regulations and not leaving it up the current person occupying the White House. They need to get it together and do their job...or maybe "We the People" need to start doing our job instead of electing politicians that care more about their own power than they do about the future of America.

    I'm a founding member of MASA - Make America Sane Again
    • by shilly ( 142940 ) on Friday February 13, 2026 @01:47PM (#65986972)

      I think there will be a number of opportunities for companies to profit from the removal of the rules for as long as the rules are gone. For example, manufacturers may turn to cheaper, high GHG feedstocks over the next couple of years.

      In the end, this is being done by a bunch of old scared men shouting at the future, and they will die and leave the rest of us alone. But they can certainly make things shittier until they’re gone

      • by gtall ( 79522 )

        Posting to remove a mod.

      • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

        There will have to be economic sanctions to offset any gains.

      • Re: (Score:3, Informative)

        by chpoot ( 3631533 )
        A sense of what is already happening without any waiting for the next election or even this court decision is given in today's Guardian report about the Musk Rat is already evading EPA regulations by running gas turbines from the back of trucks to drive his xAI plants. The claim is that if the turbines are not on the ground, they are not subject to laws on the ground, despite the emissions they emit.
    • by sinij ( 911942 ) on Friday February 13, 2026 @01:50PM (#65986976)

      At the end of the day, Congress should be legislating these types of regulations

      Absolutely. However, hyper-partisanship makes it impossible. Can you see GOP and Democrats finding common ground on this issue in 2026? Democrats are all-in on Net Zero and GOP wants to ban renewables. How can you reconcile these positions?

      • By removing the gop from power through the vote. Supermajorities are generally better at getting things done. There is no requirement for a 50-50 split.
        • by JimBowen ( 885772 ) on Friday February 13, 2026 @03:40PM (#65987214)

          And yet almost every vote on anything everywhere these days seems to result in exactly that: A near-perfect 50-50 split.
          That's weird, isn't it Mr Zuckerberg

          • by cpurdy ( 4838085 )
            That's the result of 2% of American voters being allowed to block the other 98%, by having the Senate effectively controlled (42 seats) by only 2% of the American people's vote.

            Worse, fewer than 4% of American voters account for an actual solid majority in the Senate. The US constitution, in order to protect slavery, allows 4% of the country to rule over the rest of us.
          • While i certainly do not share any affection for social media, in this case it is a bit more complicated. The GOP has acquired outsized power while being in the policy opinion minority by not asking people about this or that policy, but by asking them about "those people", which triggers people's fear of the other and forces them to wonder if they could defend themselves if they needed to. So when the GOP pols say "those people will take your stuff, and you need us to stand up for you because they are more
        • Re: (Score:2, Interesting)

          by Anonymous Coward

          Everyone should be removing the Guardians Of Paedophiles anyway.

          The fact it's even close to 50/50 makes America a disgrace to humanity.

      • by ArchieBunker ( 132337 ) on Friday February 13, 2026 @02:02PM (#65987006)

        Apparently republicans no longer believe pollution is detrimental to their health.

        How the fuck am I supposed to compromise on that?

        • by Calydor ( 739835 ) on Friday February 13, 2026 @02:11PM (#65987030)

          Get them to suck some exhaust pipes if pollution is so harmless. Make it a bet or tell them it's the only way to really be macho and not gay or something. The problem should solve itself.

        • by abulafia ( 7826 ) on Friday February 13, 2026 @03:37PM (#65987206)
          Red states are welfare queens [moneygeek.com].

          Start by making them pull their own weight.

          The next step is encouraging bottom-up independence. Pro-feudal Republicans want dependency. This is one of the reasons they fight universal health care - keeping insurance tied to employment suppresses business formation by keeping a lot of people tied to their job because of risk.

          Eventually opinions and expectations shift.

          In the mean time, keep pointing how how Republicans are ruining their grandkids' lives, leaving them poorer, less educated, and sicker.

          • by bussdriver ( 620565 ) on Friday February 13, 2026 @06:02PM (#65987532)

            #1 cost for automotive industry in the USA: Healthcare. Then we bitch about unfair Chinese subsidies because they have free healthcare... they also treat electricity like a government service... like public roads, water... Luckily, we got highways and water long before the corporatism took over or we'd be paying tolls on every road to some mega corporation (likely foreign owned) and buying jugs of water everywhere it's not profitable enough to run water pipes.

      • By removing money from politics. If you look at the world as a whole through the lens of the last 60 years you'll see a notable rise in greed. Greed for money. Greed for resources. Greed of spirit even. The human race cannot survive if we continue to capitulate to a handful of very rich people who are so mentally unstable that they will see the ruin of our biosphere for a fucking extra buck.
        • by sinij ( 911942 )

          By removing money from politics

          I agree in context of Citizens United, that was catastrophically bad decision. However, how would you remove money from politics entirely? Money and political donations are not entirely the same thing.

          • by haruchai ( 17472 )

            following the example of the Canadians would be a good start

          • by Pascoea ( 968200 )

            how would you remove money from politics entirely

            By starting somewhere. Undoing Citizens United would be a great place to start. From there, any dime a politician, or their proxy, takes in has an individual's name attached to its source. If there's a political ad being shown to the public every red cent that went into it has a name attached.

          • by Phact ( 4649149 )

            it's not going to be popular, and I'm mixed on it as well, but here goes:
            Public Financing of Campaigns.

            • it's not going to be popular, and I'm mixed on it as well, but here goes:
              Public Financing of Campaigns.

              Add allowing individuals to donate for their representatives, and only for their representatives, with a inflation indexed limit.

              • Trouble is, to do this, you have to get it through Congress. Which you can't.

                Before any clever ideas can be enacted to improve things, there's a much more fundamental problem to be solved - find a way to bring people together, to stop half the country hating the other half. Congress fairly well represents the people in this regard, and until something changes in the culture of t US society to take out the hate, nothing will change.

                Until that happens, congress will remain completely divided and locked, and y

                • Trouble is, to do this, you have to get it through Congress. Which you can't.

                  There is the 2/3rds of state legislature route but you'd face the same problem. Very few politicians would vote for something that would restrict their ability to raise campaign funds.

                  Before any clever ideas can be enacted to improve things, there's a much more fundamental problem to be solved - find a way to bring people together, to stop half the country hating the other half.

                  Bill Maher has been discussing this. He's willing to at least sit down and talk to anyone. But after he interviewed Kid Rock and had dinner with Trump for many he is now persona non grata. Why? Bill is a what I would call a old school liberal. From the other side is Charlie Kirk. Just mentioning his name will make people

                  • It's a tricky one isn't it. I agree that constitual ammendment route is a non starter - it has all the same problems as do those nice clever ideas to just tweak the rules a bit, and it doesn't solve any of the real problems: half the countruy just really hates the other half.

                    For what it's worth it's the same here in Britain (although maybe to a slightly lesser degree). Half the country (broadly speaking: the rural, older, less-educated half) cannot stand the other half (younger, better educated, metropolita

          • By removing money from politics

            I agree in context of Citizens United, that was catastrophically bad decision. However, how would you remove money from politics entirely? Money and political donations are not entirely the same thing.

            How about if you can't vote for them then you can't contribute to their campaign in any way. No more PACS, no more out of state funding, just individuals for their own representatives. It would take an Amendment which means it ain't gonna happen.

      • I say give the opponents an open-air car ride through Mexico City. I made the mistake of not getting an Uber Black and getting a regular Uber which had windows down. Myself and spouse almost puked after 10mins. The smog is absolutely terrible because they don't enforce vehicle regulations like working catalytic converters. The result is a toxic stew on the roads that will challenge your intestinal fortitude. After that experience, I'm sure they'll never talk smack about the EPA again.
        • Re: (Score:1, Troll)

          by sinij ( 911942 )
          Nothing in that regard changed with EPA. Catalytic converters are not going to become optional overnight. What changed is categorization of CO2 as harmful emission. You do understand the difference between soot and CO2, don't you?
          • by spitzak ( 4019 )

            You think the amount of other pollutants is not proportional to the amount of CO2 emitted???? What an idiot

            • by dryeo ( 100693 ) on Friday February 13, 2026 @09:26PM (#65987932)

              In a weird way, he does have a point. For example, catalytic converters convert soot (carbon), CO (which, while not a greenhouse gas, competes for OH which leads to more CH4 in the atmosphere) and hydrocarbons into CO2 and H20. Remove the catalytic converters and less CO2 will be emitted. Of course the soot, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons are worse for our health, especially on a short timescale.
              It also leaves NOx out of the equation. NOx is a worse greenhouse gas (300x) then CO2 as well as being bad for you in small quantities and catalytic converters also change that into N2 and O to combine with the carbon to make even more CO2.
              So in summary, get rid of catalytic converters and less CO2 will be emitted. In exchange we will have more greenhouse gases as well as more toxic gases.

        • by rta ( 559125 )

          the repeal in question is just about CO2 not NOx , particulates or unburned hydrocarbons.

          NBC grudgingly gets to it on TFA on a single line about 2/3rds down after several breathless paragraphs.

          """
          The EPA will still regulate pollutants in tailpipe emissions that hamper air quality, such as carbon monoxide, lead and ozone.
          """

      • Re: (Score:2, Informative)

        by Teun ( 17872 )
        Please realize there is a difference between the GOP and MAGA.
    • Congress wouldn't really change that, they've also been in the control of the anti-sciencers for long periods of time over the last 20-30 years, including right now.

      The problem we have is political, not structural. There are good, good, arguments for dramatically reducing the executive's power in certain areas, and in particular making it less of a role people are excited to run for (I favor changing it to a triumvirate, with elections for one member every two years, and rotating responsibilities) but that'

    • Re: (Score:2, Informative)

      ...or maybe "We the People" need to start doing our job instead of electing politicians that care more about their own power than they do about the future of America.

      We only had the choice between bad and worse.

    • by rsilvergun ( 571051 ) on Friday February 13, 2026 @02:41PM (#65987102)
      To stop voting republican. They are objectively bad for the economy and the environment and everyone knows it but people keep electing them.

      The problem is you have to get people away from right-wing media and 90% of all media is now owned by billionaires.

      On top of that it's not socially acceptable to point out that Republicans are bad. We have been conditioned for decades that partisan politics is a no no topic. We are all just supposed to pretend that both sides bad and all politicians lie.

      I fucking wish the Democrats would go back to lying to me. Even Obama never lied I think the last Democrat who told me an honest to God lie is Bill Clinton.

      Lies win elections. The Democrats stop fighting dirty when LBJ was out the door and they've been getting their asses kicked ever since.
      • Fools don't learn. Half the bell curve are below average and Republicans learned to outsmart slow people (and the ignorant who can be functionally stupid by falling for blatant lies) and Republicans have mastered FOOLS. Fitting they have the Clown Fool of them all as a figurehead... who even has a painted face, wig like hair, baggy clothes, he's just missing the big red nose... but he has a big red tie.

        Fools can't even spot a clown if you change the colors of the outfit...

        People get the government that re

        • But not while they're consuming right-wing propaganda. I experienced this with some right wing friends I had where I would sit them down and explain reality to them in detail and they would learn and agree with me and start to move away from the right wing... But then they would get in their car, turn on talk radio which is universally right wing and getting earful propaganda. Then they would get home and turn on the news which has been bought out by billionaires and again getting an eye full and an earful
    • So let Congress debate and vote on it. Who's stopping them? Problem is that they have plenty of items on their plate, so until they address something, the executive is at liberty to make its decision. Let Congress debate that if it doesn't like what's happening

    • I was going to say the same thing, if the pendulum swings the other way then whats the point? All it does is create waste.

      • BECAUSE IT STILL WORKS. THINK.
        The operating costs even if temporary, force adaptation to optimize. Even tiny bumps will end up with a rainy day accounting to amortize them away; as business does or whole concept of insurance is founded upon.

        Remove the rules you adapted to already? then you are still prepared and just have it easier and maybe make more money. It's coming back later so if you don't learn the "crisis" will repeat until you learn to adapt. Sure, it's best to not have corruption constantly ma

    • At the end of the day, Congress should be legislating these types of regulations and not leaving it up the current person occupying the White House. They need to get it together and do their job...

      No. They should be delegating the details to people that actually know their shit and are insulated from changing political winds to some degree. So people can do their fucking jobs, even if politicians don't like it. Like produce jobs statistics EVEN WHEN THEY'RE BAD. Because dividing up spectrum, managing water pollution, fiscal policy or countless other niches shouldn't take individual acts of Congress to achieve and shouldn't unpredictably change on the whims of every newly elected mini king.

      They did do

      • No, the bureaucrats are not the people we elect. The Congressmen are. We don't elect technocrats either. If some expert in climate or industry or any other field of expertise wants their proposals to be codified into law, they should run for Congress, get elected and then persuade their colleagues. In the process, while running, they can explain to their constituents why they want to do what they want to do

        SCOTUS heard these sort of arguments in the case known as the "Chevron Deference", and decided a

    • by gweihir ( 88907 )

      I disagree. Supply chains have already be rearranged. Typically, that costs something but also makes them better. Investments have been cancelled. And other factors. Part if what made the USD the reserve currency of choice was inertia. Major weapons deals have been cancelled.

      So while the US may recover and get stable on a significantly lower trade level, the glory days are over.

    • It does not matter if it was done by EO, ir repealed by EO. Things like USAID and CFPB were mandated by Congress. The current regime destroyed them anyway, sadly, with little pushback. We live in a post-constitutional society.

  • It will be restored with each new Democratic president, and removed again with each new Republican one, until/unless one party or the other codifies "their way" into law.

    • by Anonymous Coward

      5% of the world's population. 100% of the hubris.

      The USA is an unreliable business partner. International markets are being forced to sidestep the chaos.

      • 5% of the world's population. 100% of the hubris.

        Yeah, it's not like we ever hear hubris coming from any other country! /s

        The US certainly generates an inordinate share of it - especially under the current administration - but unfortunately there's plenty of that crap that's regularly generated in pretty much every corner of the world.

    • by rta ( 559125 )

      It will be restored with each new Democratic president, and removed again with each new Republican one, until/unless one party or the other codifies "their way" into law.

      and hopefully what they codify is a reasonable middle path... neither "drill baby drill" nor "ban ICE sales by 2035"...

      as much as I would hate more taxes (and the increased govt spending) and bueauricracy some kind of "carbon tax" or "global warming equivalent" tax that starts low so we can see what impacts it has would be the least distorting

      • A carbon consumption/emission fee that is rebated per capita (i.e. everyone gets the same payment) does exactly what is needed -- it helps people who can limit their carbon emissions below the national average, and it makes those emitting more than their fair share pay for the privilege.

        Politically, this would be difficult but not impossible, especially if you front-loaded and gave people the payments first. Now they have the cash to pay the higher prices, unless they're emitting a lot of carbon. You woul

        • by rta ( 559125 )

          Heh. The feds giving tax money BACK to people to spend as they wish?! i'm not holding my breath for that one, but it COULD be done like a refundable tax credit or something. unfortunately even if they did the track record is to try to stick it to the middle class like with other perks that tend to evaporate as income goes up.

          Also the prices are going to be mostly just an increase in prices of fuel (including planes), food, and goods. if it's at a low level or gradual increase it doesn't need front l

    • It might be well over 99.5% though.

      The world's heads-of-government make up most of the rest. But with less than 300 national heads-of-government and over 340 million Americans contributing to the world's hubris, it's easy to round to 100%.

  • Needs a new name (Score:5, Insightful)

    by jenningsthecat ( 1525947 ) on Friday February 13, 2026 @02:14PM (#65987038)

    It should now be called EDA, for Environmental Destruction Agency. Of course, that would necessitate new stationary, and the shredding or burning of the old stuff - an action which is perfectly aligned with their new mission.

  • Loper-Bright ended the Chevron deference. Government policy no longer has any force of law at all. Legal interpretation is 100% purview of the courts. Any "rule" or "guidance" or "definition" or "determination" from the executive branch has about as much legal power as "a strong suggestion".

    All of those EPA rules and regulations were rendered worthless by Loper-Brght. This so-called repeal amounts to deleting a pdf from a government server, but it'll play well on Fox. The reality now is that the courts
    • Dunno who downmodded this, but I’m pretty sure that’s exactly what Loper-Bright did. Any “gray area” in the law is now sorted out by the courts, not the executive branch. This is a big change that nobody talks about. It turns out that a huge chunk of legal stuff sits in the gray area, because we take a literalist approach to the law. So, unless CO2 is explicitly defined by congress as something that the executive branch can impose limits on, sorry, I’m fairly sure the executiv
  • by bugs2squash ( 1132591 ) on Friday February 13, 2026 @03:46PM (#65987228)
    I'm saddened that our response to the huge upheaval that climate change will bring to humanity is being governed by a handful of political wedge issues and a belief that a strong enough army will allow us to win the aftermath.
  • you have no basis in fact.

    seems 'hothouse Earth' will be a reality.

  • 42 USC 7521:

    "The Administrator shall by regulation prescribe (and from time to time revise) in accordance with the provisions of this section, standards applicable to the emission of any air pollutant from any class or classes of new motor vehicles or new motor vehicle engines, which in his judgment cause, or contribute to, air pollution which may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare."

    In my view air pollution endangering public health is like inhaling lead, CO, mercury..etc which e

  • What near-term tangible effect will this have on everyday life? No more paper drinking straws? No more constant bellyaching from our vehicles? Cats and dogs living together? My butt falling off?

    Words are just words. Industry momentum is like stopping a freight train.

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