President Donald Trump’s first week marked a significant shift in U.S. climate and energy policy. His administration prioritized energy independence, rolled back burdensome regulations, and withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement (again), citing disproportionate costs to the American economy.

Among his most consequential moves was rolling back Obama-era climate policies that were rooted in the EPA’s Endangerment Finding. Trump’s executive actions highlighted the urgent need to revisit and rescind the Endangerment Finding. This 2009 EPA edict underpins much of the federal government’s sweeping climate agenda, driving regulations that increase costs for consumers, harm industries, and expand government overreach into nearly every aspect of life.

The Endangerment Finding classified carbon dioxide (CO₂) and five other greenhouse gases as pollutants under the Clean Air Act. This allowed the EPA to regulate these gases despite the fact that the Clean Air Act was originally intended to address harmful pollutants like smog, soot, and sulfur dioxide—substances with direct and immediate adverse health impacts.

Carbon dioxide, however, is neither toxic nor harmful at current atmospheric levels. It is a naturally occurring gas, essential to life on Earth, and plays a vital role in plant growth and food production. By declaring CO₂ a pollutant, the EPA dramatically expanded its regulatory reach. This finding set the stage for far-reaching mandates on power plants, vehicles, appliances, and more, giving the federal government a license to micromanage industries and individual choices.

CO₂ has been unjustly vilified in the political and media narrative surrounding climate change. While it is true that CO₂ is a greenhouse gas, its role in the climate system is far from simple or all-encompassing. For instance, water vapor is the most significant greenhouse gas in terms of its warming potential, yet it is rarely discussed because it is beyond the scope of regulation.

The Endangerment Finding has triggered a cascade of regulations with far-reaching and often harmful consequences for industries, consumers, and the broader economy.

1. Energy Costs and Reliability:
   Regulations targeting coal and natural gas power plants have forced many reliable energy sources offline, driving up electricity costs for consumers. Affordable, dependable energy is a cornerstone of economic growth, yet these regulations undermine it.
2. Transportation:
   Vehicle emissions standards linked to the finding have raised car prices and accelerated the push for electric vehicles (EVs). Consumers are left with fewer choices and higher costs, all in the name of reducing CO₂ emissions.
3. Housing and Appliances:
   Energy efficiency mandates stemming from the finding have increased costs for home construction and everyday appliances like refrigerators, water heaters, and air conditioners. These mandates often result in products that are less effective or less durable, burdening households with higher costs for questionable benefits.
4. Agriculture and Food Prices:
   Farmers are now under pressure to reduce emissions of methane and nitrous oxide, two other greenhouse gases identified in the Endangerment Finding. These regulations drive up farming costs, which are inevitably passed on to consumers. Moreover, this has serious implications for food security and affordability.
5. Erosion of Individual Freedoms:
   The Endangerment Finding enables the federal government to intrude into everyday decisions, from the kind of car you drive to the appliances you use to how you heat your home. What were once personal choices are increasingly dictated by federal mandates, all justified by the need to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

One of the greatest flaws of the Endangerment Finding is its tunnel vision. By focusing almost exclusively on CO₂, it ignores the broader environmental picture.

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Similarly, the push for renewable energy has downsides that are often overlooked. Wind and solar energy require vast amounts of land, disrupt ecosystems, and rely on mining rare materials that cause significant environmental damage. Meanwhile, the policies driven by the Endangerment Finding disproportionately harm low-income households, which are least able to absorb rising energy and food costs.

President Trump’s rollback of climate policies highlighted the dangers of the Endangerment Finding but did not go far enough. To truly safeguard America’s energy independence, economic growth, and individual freedoms, the Endangerment Finding must be rescinded. Its foundation is shaky—built on exaggerated claims about CO₂ and a misinterpretation of climate science. Eliminating it would free industries from burdensome regulations, lower costs for consumers, and restore balance to environmental policymaking.

Rescinding the finding would not mean abandoning environmental stewardship. Instead, it would allow for a more rational approach to climate and energy policy—one that respects scientific complexity, avoids alarmism, and considers the real-world consequences of overreach. A balanced policy would prioritize innovation, voluntary efforts, and adaptation over heavy-handed mandates.

The EPA’s Endangerment Finding, better understood as the “Carbon Scare Framework,” represents a gross overreach of regulatory authority. By declaring carbon dioxide a pollutant, the federal government has imposed costly and far-reaching rules that affect every aspect of life, often to the detriment of the economy, individual freedoms, and even the environment itself.

The path forward begins with rescinding the Endangerment Finding and reevaluating the role of CO₂ in climate policy. America needs a balanced, evidence-based approach—one that prioritizes innovation, economic freedom, and environmental stewardship without succumbing to alarmism or ideological agendas. If policymakers are serious about addressing real challenges, it’s time to step away from the carbon scare narrative and toward rational, practical solutions.

Anthony Watts ([email protected]) is a Senior Fellow for environment and climate with The Heartland Institute.