ISTANBUL

The US Environmental Protection Agency proposed Tuesday rescinding the 2009 "Endangerment Finding" that serves as the legal foundation for regulating greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles, potentially eliminating more than $1 trillion in climate regulations.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the proposal in Indiana, targeting the Obama-era determination that greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide endanger public health and welfare.

“With this proposal, the Trump EPA is proposing to end 16 years of uncertainty for automakers and American consumers,” said Zeldin.

The move would repeal all greenhouse gas standards for light, medium and heavy-duty vehicles, said the agency. It claimed the move would save $1 trillion in "costly regulations” while providing $54 billion in annual savings.

Rescinding the endangerment finding would eliminate EPA's statutory authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles.

Zeldin argued previous administrations "twisted the law, ignored precedent, and warped science" in implementing climate policies.

The EPA cited "updated scientific data that challenge the assumptions behind the 2009 Endangerment Finding" to justify the reversal.

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita described the previous climate agenda as the "green new scam" that the Trump administration aims to reverse through "commonsense policies."

US President Donald Trump has been skeptical about climate action and environmental regulations. Since his return to office, he has rolled back numerous climate policies and scientific initiatives, including withdrawing from the Paris Agreement.