The Climate Deregulation Playbook: Power, Profit, and the EPA's Weaponization
THE ACTORS: Who benefits from climate denial? At the center is former President Donald Trump , whose administration initiated this rollback, and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin (incorrectly identified in the article; Andrew Wheeler was EPA Administrator for much of Trump’s term, Zeldin is a former Congressman, often critical of climate action). Zeldin, as quoted, champions a "business-friendly
approach" and refers to previous climate efforts as willing to "bankrupt the country." This rhetoric aligns perfectly with powerful fossil fuel lobbies. Key industry players include the American Petroleum Institute (API) , the Chamber of Commerce , and various coal and gas associations, who have consistently pushed for deregulation and cast doubt on climate science. THE FUNDING: Tracing the money
trail The incentives for this move are overwhelmingly financial. The fossil fuel industry (coal, oil, gas) stands to save billions in compliance costs if climate regulations are weakened or eliminated. During the 2016 election cycle, the oil and gas industry contributed over $100 million to Republican campaigns , with significant amounts directed to figures aligned with deregulation (OpenSecrets,
2016). This includes direct campaign donations, PAC contributions, and dark money through lobbying groups. The revocation of the endangerment finding directly translates to increased profitability for these donors by removing the legal basis for emissions standards on power plants, vehicles, and other infrastructure, thereby externalizing significant environmental costs onto the public. THE