EPA’s “Carbon Scare Framework” aka “Endangerment Finding” – A Classic Case of Government Overreach
11 hours ago Anthony Watts
President 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, 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 that 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 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 alike.
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, accounting for roughly half of it due to its abundance in the atmosphere compared to other greenhouse gases, yet it is rarely discussed because it is beyond the scope of regulation.
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2025/02/01/epas-carbon-scare-framework-aka-endangerment-finding-a-classic-case-of-government-overreach/
