Energy Secretary Lee Zeldin announced the start of a rollback of 31 U.S. environmental policies. Zeldin explained in the WSJ:
Yesterday was the most consequential day of deregulation in American history. Alongside President Trump, we announced that the Environmental Protection Agency will take 31 actions to advance his day-one executive orders and power the Great American Comeback.(…)
Today marks the death of the Green New Scam. The EPA recognizes that environmental protection and economic prosperity aren’t mutually exclusive goals. Under President Trump’s leadership, we are recommitting to the core American values of innovation, growth, exceptionalism and opportunity.
Critics may claim that these changes signal a retreat from environmental protection. Nothing could be further from the truth. Under the Trump administration, the EPA’s core mission remains safeguarding human health and the environment. The difference lies in how we achieve these goals—through partnership rather than prescriptive bureaucracy, through collaboration rather than regulation.
🚨BREAKING: @EPA is initiating 31 historic actions to Power the Great American Comeback in the greatest day of deregulation in American history!
Our actions will unleash energy dominance, lower costs for Americans, strengthen the U.S. auto industry, and protect our environment. pic.twitter.com/7B3fh5qBKY
— Lee Zeldin (@epaleezeldin) March 12, 2025
Zeldin said Wednesday that most regulation rollbacks involve regulations on power plants, the oil-and-gas industry, vehicles, and wastewater. That includes the regulations forcing the sale of electric vehicles that few people want while reducing the number of gas-powered cars for sale.
Zeldin also outlined one of the Department of Energy’s strategies for the next steps.
With my announcement today Powering the Great American Comeback, EPA is reconsidering the “Social Cost of Carbon”, Clean Power Plan 2.0, Particulate Matter 2.5, Endangerment Finding, OOOO b/c, NESHAPs, MATS, ELGs, “Good Neighbor Plan”, and so much more. https://t.co/3YdecfGeFy
— Lee Zeldin (@epaleezeldin) March 12, 2025
Remember that according to the Administrative Procedure Act, any rollback of existing regulations or introduction of new ones requires notice and comment periods. The EPA the rollback for public comment, and must consider the comments before finalizing the rules.
We may have to wait for Zeldin’s rollback of 31 regulations to be approved and recommended, but Ladies and Gentlemen, we are on the way to making our own purchase decisions and living with a better economy.
