On the Dash:
- The White House touts EPA’s repeal of vehicle emissions standards as its biggest deregulatory win, saving $1.3 trillion
- Critics say the savings figure ignores health costs tied to car emissions; one EPA estimate shows a possible $180 billion loss
- Agenda calls for 702 rule rollbacks total, with EEOC and Treasury changes also in the pipeline
The Trump administration released a regulatory agenda calling for the elimination of 702 federal rules, according to Bloomberg, marking the largest number of deregulatory actions ever proposed in a single White House agenda. The plan builds on 752 rule rollbacks already completed since October.
The administration says the cuts will generate $1.5 trillion in savings for the economy by the end of September. Most of that comes from rolling back regulations on vehicle emissions standards. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) repealed the 2009 endangerment finding in February, ending the legal basis for federal greenhouse gas emission standards. The EPA said the repeal alone saves Americans more than $1.3 trillion.
The administration also plans to scrap energy-efficiency standards, environmental review requirements for energy projects, and rules tied to diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, Bloomberg reported.
The push stems from an executive order Trump signed early in his second term. It directs federal agencies to repeal 10 regulations for every new one they adopt. A White House official told Bloomberg the agenda is on track to meet that goal this year, though a full accounting won’t be available until after the fiscal year ends.
The scope of the agenda also grew after a Supreme Court ruling last week. The court’s 6-3 decision in Trump v. Slaughter gave the president broad authority to remove the heads of independent agencies. Those agencies must now coordinate their rulemaking with the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.
Not everyone agrees with the administration’s math. Jason Schwartz, regulatory policy director at New York University School of Law’s Institute for Policy Integrity, said the $1.3 trillion figure from the endangerment finding repeal excludes health and environmental benefits tied to the emission standards. One of the EPA’s own estimates shows the repeal could cost Americans $180 billion once those factors are included, according to FactCheck.org.
The repeal of the EPA’s emissions rule still faces legal challenges. A coalition of health and environmental groups, along with a separate group of 24 states, is challenging the repeal in the D.C. Circuit. The EPA is weighing a request to reconsider the rule, and that review could push merits briefing back until later this year.
