What's Changing

The EPA, under Administrator Lee Zeldin, has outlined an aggressive deregulation agenda for 2026 that includes two headline moves: rescinding the agency's 2009 endangerment finding on greenhouse gases and reconsidering Biden-era vehicle emission standards. The broader strategy follows an executive order requiring agencies to eliminate ten existing regulations for every new one introduced.

In 2025 alone, the EPA reviewed 31 regulatory actions for possible rollback. That pace is expected to continue or accelerate in 2026.

The Endangerment Finding

The 2009 endangerment finding declared that greenhouse gas emissions endanger public health and welfare. It has served as the legal foundation for virtually all federal climate regulations, including emissions limits for power plants, vehicles, and industrial facilities.

Zeldin announced the effort to rescind this finding in July 2025. The public comment period closed in September, but legal challenges have slowed the process. Rescinding the finding would remove the legal basis for a wide range of existing and future emissions rules.

Notably, the chemical industry itself has pushed back on this move. Industry leaders have argued that after years of investing in compliance infrastructure and adjusting operations to meet emissions requirements, they prefer regulatory stability over another round of uncertainty. As energy consultant Frank Maisano put it, companies that initially opposed the finding have since incorporated the required changes and don't want the disruption of yet another reversal.

Vehicle Emission Standards

The EPA also plans to reconsider two Biden-era vehicle emission rules:

• Light- and medium-duty vehicle standards — Originally set to tighten significantly for model year 2027 and beyond
• The "Clean Trucks Plan" — Targets nitrogen oxide (NOx) reductions from heavy-duty engines, with direct implications for the freight and logistics sector

The agency has proposed a two-year delay in enforcement of these rules while it reconsiders the standards. For the chemical industry, the Clean Trucks Plan is the more impactful of the two — NOx standards affect the cost and availability of heavy-duty trucks used to haul chemicals, solvents, and industrial supplies.

The 10-for-1 Executive Order

The administration's "10-for-1" regulatory reduction mandate is driving agencies to identify existing rules for elimination at an unprecedented pace. For the EPA, this means environmental rules that have been in place for years or decades could be on the chopping block simply to meet the numerical target.

What to Watch

• Court challenges — The endangerment finding repeal faces significant legal obstacles. Environmental groups and state attorneys general are expected to challenge any final action
• State-level response — States like California, New York, and Washington have historically adopted their own emissions rules when federal standards weaken
• Freight costs — If the Clean Trucks Plan is delayed or weakened, the timeline for fleet upgrades shifts, affecting freight pricing and availability
• Reporting requirements — The 10-for-1 mandate could affect EPA reporting and disclosure rules that chemical manufacturers currently comply with