Rep. Onder Introduces the Curtailing Agency Reach and Bureaucracy Overreach on Net-Zero (CARBON) Act

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 17, 2026

Contact: Brooke Morgan

(Washington, D.C.) - This past week, U.S. Congressman Bob Onder introduced H.R. 7554, the Curtailing Agency Reach and Bureaucracy Overreach on Net-Zero (CARBON) Act, to restore the original congressional intent of the Clean Air Act (CAA) by excluding carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide from federal air pollution regulation, thereby curtailing the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) ability to regulate certain greenhouse gases.

"For too long, uncertainty over federal greenhouse gas regulation has left farmers, manufacturers, and energy producers guessing whether their operations could be delayed or shut down based on outdated and unclear Obama-era regulations. I have introduced the CARBON Act, alongside the Trump Administration's repeal of the "endangerment finding," to restore common-sense limits on federal authority. The CARBON Act returns the Clean Air Act to Congress's original intent by clarifying that the EPA cannot regulate carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide as 'air pollutants.' This bill reigns in bureaucratic overreach and provides overdue predictability to industry," said Congressman Bob Onder.

To read the full bill click here.

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Background Information

When Congress passed the Clean Air Act, it did not intend to give the EPA broad authority to regulate greenhouse gases. However, after the Supreme Court's decision in Massachusetts v. EPA in 2007, followed by the Obama Administration's 2009 "endangerment finding," the EPA was provided with a legal basis to regulate greenhouse gases.

President Trump's Executive Order 14154, "Unleashing American Energy," directed the EPA to review the legality and continuing applicability of the "endangerment finding." As a result, on February 12, 2026, the Trump Administration's EPA revoked the "endangerment finding."

Considering the Supreme Court's overturning of the Chevron doctrine, Congress has been tasked with providing more clarity to regulators.

The Curtailing Agency Reach and Bureaucracy Overreach on Net-Zero (CARBON) Act amends the Clean Air Act (CAA) to clarify congressional intent and restore limits on regulatory authority. Specifically, the legislation excludes carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide from the CAA's definition of an "air pollutant."

The bill builds on the work of President Trump's EPA to reduce unnecessary federal overreach enabled by the "endangerment finding." In addition to revoking the "endangerment finding," the CARBON Act would prevent the EPA from regulating certain greenhouse gases unless explicitly authorized by Congress. This will prevent future administrations from easily reinstating burdensome regulatory overreach.

The CARBON Act would:

• Revoke the EPA's authority to regulate carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide under the Clean Air Act.
• Overturn the legal basis for greenhouse gas regulations established by Massachusetts v. EPA.
• Prevent future administrations from using the Clean Air Act to impose unnecessary and burdensome regulations related to these greenhouse gases.
• Limit federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions produced by power plants, vehicles, agriculture, and other industries.

This legislation would restore regulatory certainty, codify recent executive actions, and rein in agency overreach by ensuring that sweeping climate policy decisions are decided by Congress rather than biased administrative rulemaking.