EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced Wednesday that the agency will undertake 31 major deregulatory actions in what he called “the greatest and most consequential day of deregulation in U.S. history.”
The moves are aimed at advancing Trump’s executive orders and economic policies under the banner of “Powering the Great American Comeback.” The administration seeks to promote American energy, lower living costs, revitalize the auto industry, restore state authority, and roll back regulations that have stifled economic growth.
The announced measures are expected to roll back trillions in regulatory costs, which the administration argues have acted as hidden taxes on American families. The agency claims the changes will make it more affordable to buy cars, heat homes, and operate businesses, while also boosting domestic manufacturing and job creation.
Among the key actions are reversals of Biden-era policies on power plants, vehicle emissions, and environmental justice initiatives. The EPA will reconsider stringent greenhouse gas rules, roll back restrictions on the oil and gas industry, and eliminate Biden’s “Social Cost of Carbon” policy. The agency will also terminate the Biden administration’s environmental justice and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, arguing they imposed unnecessary burdens on industry.
In a broader push for state authority, the EPA will end the Biden administration’s “Good Neighbor Plan,” restructure air quality regulations, and work with states and tribes to clear regulatory backlogs. The agency will also reconstitute its Science Advisory Board and prioritize permitting for coal ash programs.
Zeldin emphasized that these actions mark a significant departure from the regulatory approach of the Biden and Obama administrations, which he said “suffocated nearly every sector of the American economy.” With these rollbacks, the administration aims to create jobs, lower costs, and shift decision-making power back to states and businesses.
