Agency reveals intention to abolish Obama-era finding regarding climate as a hazard
In a landmark move, Lee Zeldin, the Administrator of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has announced plans to rescind the Obama-era endangerment finding declaration, a decision that could have far-reaching implications for U.S. climate policies and regulations.
The endangerment finding, established in 2009, asserts that greenhouse gases like carbon monoxide and methane pose threats to public health. It serves as the legal foundation for a host of climate regulations stemming from the Clean Air Act, regulating emissions from power plants, vehicles, factories, and other sources [1][2][3].
Zeldin, in a recent interview on the "Ruthless" podcast, described the endangerment finding as an oversimplification and inaccuracy. He claimed that the repeal of this finding would mark "the largest deregulatory action in the history of America" [2][4].
The potential impacts of this action include:
- Erasing limits on greenhouse gas emissions, which could lead to increased pollution from fossil fuels in power generation, transportation, and industry [2][3].
- Undermining U.S. efforts to combat climate change, as the finding recognizes that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases pose risks to public health and welfare based on scientific evidence [1][2][3].
- Triggering legal challenges from environmental groups and "blue" (Democratic-led) states, who argue that the endangerment finding is backed by decades of scientific research and is required by law following a 2007 Supreme Court ruling [1][4].
- Economic and political controversy, as proponents like Zeldin argue that climate regulations impose heavy costs on the economy and risk "bankrupting the country," while opponents view repeal as an environmental rollback that ignores scientific consensus [2][4].
The proposal to rescind the endangerment finding is expected to save Americans over $54 billion annually [5]. However, it is also expected to encounter legal challenges from environmental groups, who argue that the repeal would disregard scientific evidence and undermine U.S. efforts to address climate change [1][4].
The Environmental Defense Fund, a nonprofit organization dedicated to environmental issues, has cautioned that repealing the Obama-era finding would lead to dangerous consequences [6]. Fred Krupp, President of the Environmental Defense Fund, stated that repealing the endangerment finding would result in more pollution, making life more expensive and dangerous for Americans. He added that the repeal would not impose enforced limits on pollution [6].
This move by Zeldin has caused waves across DC and the media landscape, sparking intense debate and discussion about the future of U.S. climate policies [7]. The proposal would drive significant changes in regulations, including scaling back regulations such as former President Joe Biden's electric vehicle mandate. The repeal of the endangerment finding declaration would not impose enforced limits on pollution, as per the statement by Fred Krupp.
References:
[1] New York Times: "Lee Zeldin, EPA Head, Plans to Revoke Obama-Era Greenhouse Gas Rule" [2] The Hill: "Zeldin: Endangerment finding repeal would be largest deregulatory action in U.S. history" [3] CNN: "What is the endangerment finding?" [4] Washington Post: "Lee Zeldin's proposal to revoke the endangerment finding threatens to dismantle key U.S. climate policies" [5] Axios: "Zeldin's proposal to rescind the endangerment finding could save $54 billion annually" [6] Environmental Defense Fund: "Repealing the Endangerment Finding Would Lead to More Pollution and Dangerous Consequences for Americans" [7] Politico: "Zeldin's 'Ruthless' podcast interview causes waves in DC and media landscape"
- The rescinding of the Obama-era endangerment finding, which serves as the basis for numerous climate regulations, could lead to a significant deregulation of greenhouse gas emissions, potentially increasing pollution from various sectors such as power generation, transportation, and industry.
- Controversy over Lee Zeldin's proposal to revoke the endangerment finding extends into the realm of politics and policy-and-legislation, with economic implications, as well as legal challenges expected from environmental groups and Democratic-led states who assert that the repeal disregards decades of scientific evidence and ignores scientific consensus.
- In response to Zeldin's plan, environmental organizations like the Environmental Defense Fund have raised concerns, stating that repealing the endangerment finding would result in more pollution and dangerous consequences for the general-news public, as it would not impose enforced limits on pollution and could hinder U.S. efforts in combating climate-change and environmental-science issues.
