EPA initates process to rescind determination serving as foundation for present constraints on greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles, manufacturing facilities, and power stations
The Trump administration's proposed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule to rescind the 2009 "endangerment finding" could have far-reaching implications for U.S. efforts to combat climate change.
The endangerment finding, legally underpinning the EPA's authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act, declares that six greenhouse gases—including carbon dioxide, methane, and hydrofluorocarbons—pose a threat to public health and welfare. If finalized, rescinding it would dismantle the legal foundation for many existing climate regulations on vehicles, power plants, factories, and other pollution sources responsible for climate change.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, appointed by President Donald Trump, argues that the agency lacks authority to determine such greenhouse gases are dangerous and claims the original scientific predictions were inaccurate. He portrays the repeal as a historic deregulatory move that will save the U.S. economy from costly regulations imposed in the name of climate change.
However, the repeal proposal faces expected legal challenges from environmental groups, as it would remove constraints on emissions that have been central to U.S. climate policy for over a decade. Analysts see this action as a major rollback of federal climate regulation, with significant implications for the U.S. role in mitigating global warming.
If successful, the repeal could prevent future administrations from proposing rules to tackle climate change. The EPA also called for rescinding limits on tailpipe emissions designed to promote the sale of electric vehicles, as the transportation sector is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S.
The potential repeal of the endangerment finding could be challenged in court by environmental advocacy groups and blue states like New York and California. Critics of the proposal, including three former EPA leaders, claim it could endanger the lives of millions of people in the U.S. and abandon the agency's mission to protect the environment and human health.
David Doniger, a climate expert at the Natural Resources Defense Council, believes it is virtually "impossible to think that the EPA could develop a contradictory finding [to the 2009 standard] that would stand up in court." If the repeal survives in court, it could greatly impair the ability to fight climate change.
Zeldin's proposal is part of a series of environmental rollbacks, which would affect 31 key environmental rules on topics ranging from clean air to clean water and climate change. Peter Zalzal, associate vice president of the Environmental Defense Fund, has stated that attacking the endangerment finding is callous, dangerous, and a breach of the government's responsibility to protect the American people from the devastating effects of climate change.
The proposed rule change has sparked widespread concern among environmental groups, legal experts, and Democrats, who believe any attempt to repeal or roll back the endangerment finding would face litigation and have a slim chance of success. Sam Sankar, the senior vice president of programs at the nonprofit legal group Earthjustice, has stated that it plans to immediately file a legal challenge against the potential repeal of the endangerment finding.
[1] New York Times: "Trump Administration Plans to Roll Back Climate Change Regulations" [2] Washington Post: "EPA Proposes to Roll Back Obama-Era Climate Change Regulations" [3] Associated Press: "Trump Administration Aims to Dismantle Climate Change Regulations" [4] CNN: "Trump Administration's Proposed EPA Rule Challenges Climate Change Regulations"
- The Trump administration's proposed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule to rescind the 2009 "endangerment finding" is a significant rollback of federal climate regulation, with potential implications for the U.S.'s role in mitigating global warming, as reported by CNN.
- This proposed EPA rule change could face legal challenges from environmental groups and blue states like New York and California, with one critic stating that any attempt to repeal or roll back the endangerment finding would have a slim chance of success, according to the Associated Press.
- The repeal of the endangerment finding could impact the ability to fight climate change, as claimed by David Doniger, a climate expert at the Natural Resources Defense Council, in an article published by the New York Times.
- The EPA's proposed rule to rescind the 2009 "endangerment finding" could be challenged in court by environmental advocacy groups and pose a threat to public health and welfare, as argued by three former EPA leaders and other critics, as covered in the Washington Post.
