WSJ Opinion: Potomac Watch The Trump Administration’s New Take on Climate Change
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Aug 1, 2025 Kim Strassel and Alicia Finley, both esteemed columnists at The Wall Street Journal, dive into the Trump administration's approach to climate change. They discuss the repeal of the 2009 endangerment finding, examining its historical context and ongoing legal debates. The conversation shifts to a new report from the Energy Department that introduces uncertainty into climate science narratives. They also explore the balance between climate activism and public sentiment regarding energy affordability, revealing the challenges in addressing climate policies.
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Endangerment Finding Powers EPA
- The 2009 EPA endangerment finding labeled greenhouse gases as pollutants, enabling wide federal regulation of emissions.
- This legal basis underpins policies limiting tailpipe emissions and forcing coal and natural gas plant closures.
Legal Debate Over EPA Authority
- The Supreme Court's 2007 5-4 decision broadly interpreted the Clean Air Act to include greenhouse gases under air pollutants.
- The Trump EPA argues Congress never authorized regulation of CO2, which doesn't directly harm health like traditional pollutants.
Trump Seeks Legal Reconsideration
- The Trump administration is aiming for courts to reconsider EPA's authority on greenhouse gases.
- Congress tried and failed to address climate lawmaking politically with cap and trade in 2009-10.