EPA to Strike Down Landmark Ruling on Climate Change, Clean Air

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced plans Tuesday to get rid of one of the key rulings it has used to protect the environment for the past 16 years.

The EPA plans to roll back the “endangerment finding” of 2009. It states that gases like carbon dioxide and methane contribute to climate change . They are called "greenhouse gases." The ruling allowed the EPA to place limits on emissions of these gases. It was based on the consensus of experts. Almost all experts agree that increased carbon levels in the atmosphere play a leading role in climate change. 

Lee Zeldin is head of the EPA. He described the rollback as the largest act of deregulation in US history. He said US companies could make much more money without the rule in place. That's because they would no longer need to follow carbon emissions rules. Zeldin said on the “Ruthless” podcast the plan could save as much as $1 trillion for people in the US. 

Some business leaders and conservatives praised the plan. But environmentalists spoke out against it. They called it out-of-touch. 

“This is not just an attack on science but on common sense,” Zealan Hoover told The Washington Post. He worked with the EPA under President Biden. “The National Climate Assessment provides over 2,000 pages of detailed evidence that climate change harms our health and welfare."   

Zeldin's plan must go through a 45-day pause for public comment. Climate advocacy groups have said they plan to sue the EPA. They hope to prevent the EPA from changing the rule. 

Reflect: What are some ways people can take care of the Earth while still helping their communities?

Photo of the signage at the headquarters of the United States Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, DC from Reuters.