Federal government will scrap evaluations related to greenhouse gas emissions - U.S. Government Abandons Evaluation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Trump administration has announced plans to rescind the "endangerment finding," a decision that could fundamentally dismantle the legal and scientific basis for regulating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
The endangerment finding, established during the tenure of President Barack Obama, states that greenhouse gases pose a threat to public health and welfare. If implemented, the proposed move would roll back many climate change regulations on vehicles, power plants, and industrial sources.
The legal undermining of climate regulations is one of the key implications of this decision. The endangerment finding serves as the foundation for EPA's authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gases. By rescinding it, the EPA would remove its legal justification for environmental rules restricting GHG emissions from vehicles and fossil fuel industries.
The proposed rule also aims to eliminate greenhouse gas standards for motor vehicles, including cars and heavy trucks, as well as other regulations on fossil fuel emissions. This move is framed by the EPA as eliminating what it calls "hidden taxes" on American businesses and consumers.
However, critics warn that this reversal contradicts the scientific consensus on climate change. They argue that it will exacerbate climate disasters, increase extreme weather events, and undermine efforts to mitigate climate change impacts.
The proposed action is expected to face fierce legal challenges from states, environmental groups, and others who cite robust scientific evidence supporting the endangerment finding. Previous Supreme Court rulings and extensive public comments underpinning the original decision reinforce its strong legal standing, making repeal attempts controversial and uncertain legally.
EPA chief Lee Zeldin announced the plans in the conservative podcast "Ruthless," referring to the endangerment finding as a "stab in the heart of the climate change religion." The administration frames this action as a major deregulatory step that benefits industries by removing burdensome regulations.
However, environmental advocates highlight the potential long-term economic and societal costs linked to increasing climate risks and health issues. The administration's plans are referred to as the "greatest deregulatory action in the history of the United States," but the long-term consequences of this decision remain uncertain.
In summary, the EPA’s plan to rescind the endangerment finding represents a significant policy shift aimed at rolling back climate protections by removing the scientific and legal framework essential for regulating greenhouse gases. This has broad consequences for US climate policy, public health safeguards, and environmental law, and is expected to trigger extensive litigation and opposition.
- The Commission is proposing to extend the period of validity of the agreement to cover the following areas: general news, policy and legislation, and environmental science, especially focusing on climate-change and science, in an attempt to counteract the EPA's decision to rescind the endangerment finding.
- The recent announcement by the EPA's chief, Lee Zeldin, to repeal the endangerment finding has sparked debates in the realm of politics, as environmental advocates argue that this move contradicts the scientific consensus on climate change.
- As the extension of the agreement, science, climate-change, and environmental-science will play crucial roles in shaping future climate-related policies, counterbalancing the potential deregulation implications of the EPA's decision and upholding public health safeguards.
