EPA Launches Deregulation Blitz: Key Changes to Air Quality and Climate Rules Impacting You

The head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Lee Zeldin, announced on March 12 that the agency is considering rolling back 31 regulations. These include rules that address scientific advice and limits on air pollution. One significant rule under review is the “endangerment finding,” which the EPA established in 2009 to confirm that greenhouse gas emissions impact human health. This finding is crucial for many climate-related regulations.

Zeldin described the announcement as “the greatest day of deregulation our nation has seen,” suggesting that these changes would lead to lower living costs for American families and stimulate job growth in the auto industry. Supporters, like the American Chemistry Council and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, believe these moves will help the economy by reducing regulations.

However, many environmental groups, such as Earthjustice and the Environmental Defense Fund, are worried. Amanda Leland, executive director of the Environmental Defense Fund, criticized the plan, calling it chaotic. She pointed out that just days before, President Trump promised to reduce toxins in the environment. Leland argues that these proposed rollbacks undermine that commitment and could harm public health.

One major change includes restructuring the EPA’s Science Advisory Board and the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee. These committees consist of scientists who offer crucial advice to the EPA. The agency is currently accepting nominations for new members. The review also involves reassessing the endangerment finding, which was partly based on a Supreme Court ruling from 2007 that recognized greenhouse gases as air pollutants.

Current EPA leadership argues that the original endangerment finding was made in an incorrect and overly broad manner. They believe it erroneously combined six greenhouse gases instead of focusing solely on carbon dioxide.

Opponents of the rollback, including Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, warn that abandoning the endangerment finding would ignore scientific consensus about the dangers of greenhouse gases. He emphasized that the evidence linking these emissions to public health issues has only grown stronger since 2009.

Since the endangerment finding was put in place, the EPA has dismissed numerous petitions to reconsider it. The U.S. Court of Appeals upheld the finding in 2012, and the Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge in December 2023. Despite this, the EPA is citing recent legal decisions as justification for its review, indicating that there may be a shift in how the agency interprets environmental laws in the future.

As this situation unfolds, the public and environmental advocates are keeping a close watch on how these changes may impact health and safety.



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