Trump Administration Repeals GHG Endangerment Finding and Vehicle Emission Standards

On 12 February 2026, President Trump and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a final rule rescinding the 2009 Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding, making the following six key greenhouse gases no longer legally required to be regulated under the Clean Air Act: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride.  In the same package, the Trump administration repealed emission standards for light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicles. 

The Final Rule, which the Trump administration has identified as the “single largest deregulatory action in American history”, will have implications across multiple sectors, including consumer vehicles, commercial vehicles, and heavy-duty trucks, as well as coal-fired and natural gas power plants.

See our client alert for background on the Endangerment Finding and an overview of the Final Rule and the potential implications.