A group of health and environmental organizations filed a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Wednesday, contesting the reversal of a key scientific determination that has served as the foundation for U.S. efforts to control greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change.
The EPA recently issued a rule that overturned a 2009 government declaration, known as the endangerment finding, which established that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases pose a threat to public health and well-being. This finding, established during the Obama administration, forms the legal basis for most climate regulations under the U.S. Clean Air Act, affecting vehicles, power plants, and other sources of pollution contributing to global warming.
The rescission of the endangerment finding eliminates emission standards for cars and trucks and could lead to a broader rollback of climate regulations for stationary sources like power plants and oil facilities, according to experts.
The legal challenge was filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, arguing that the EPA’s decision to revoke the endangerment finding is illegal. The lawsuit contends that the 2009 finding supported necessary measures to reduce climate pollution, particularly from vehicles. The implementation of clean vehicle standards by the Biden administration was projected to result in significant carbon emission reductions, cost savings for Americans, and improved public health.
After almost two decades of scientific evidence supporting the 2009 finding, Brian Lynk, a senior attorney at the Environmental Law & Policy Center, emphasized that the EPA cannot reasonably claim the research is now invalid. Lynk criticized the decision as reckless, legally unsustainable, and likely to lead to prolonged legal disputes that undermine federal climate regulations.
The lawsuit was brought forth by a coalition that includes the American Public Health Association, American Lung Association, Alliance of Nurses for a Healthy Environment, Physicians for Social Responsibility, as well as environmental groups like the Center for Biological Diversity, Conservation Law Foundation, Environmental Defense Fund, Natural Resources Defense Council, and Sierra Club.
President Donald Trump and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin defended the repeal of the endangerment finding, referring to it as a significant deregulatory action that relieved the U.S. economy from burdensome regulations. Environmental advocates, on the other hand, criticized the move as a severe blow to federal climate change initiatives and highlighted the increasing evidence supporting the endangerment finding over the years.
The endangerment finding played a crucial role in the development of new climate regulations under the Clean Air Act, obligating the EPA to restrict emissions of any pollutant that endangers public health or welfare. The EPA’s decision to eliminate vehicle standards was projected to raise gas prices and increase fuel costs for Americans, according to proponents of the lawsuit.
Gretchen Goldman, president and CEO of the Union of Concerned Scientists, emphasized that the repeal of the endangerment finding and the relaxation of vehicle emission standards contradict the EPA’s mandate to safeguard public health and comply with the Clean Air Act. She criticized the action as dangerous, based on misinformation, and contrary to the public’s interest and scientific evidence.
Goldman pointed out that the rise in heat-trapping emissions and global temperatures, primarily due to fossil fuel combustion, is contributing to escalating human and economic consequences worldwide.
