The Environmental Protection Agency‘s comment period for a proposed rollback of its 2009 Endangerment Finding closes September 22.
For 16 years, the ruling has served as the EPA’s “holy grail” for protecting Americans from pollution and climate change.
President Donald Trump and his administration seek to eliminate standards that have guided vehicle emissions, greenhouse gas emissions and the majority of any climate regulations by the EPA, the agency Americans trust to protect them from pollution.
The comment period is held following a call by legislators of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) for more accountability from EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. Members of the SEEC are participating in a press conference today before the comment period begins.
According to the SEEC, Revoking the EPA’s landmark 2009 Endangerment Finding represents extreme science denialism, which will cost American families their health and wallets as a result of EPA’s egregious giveaways to the nation’s biggest polluters. Members shared the on-the-ground impacts the rollbacks will have on Americans’ health, safety, environment and financial security.
ICYMI: EPA news
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- ‘Disturbing new level of extreme science denial’: EPA proposes ending Endangerment Finding
Meanwhile, also today Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan led 7 seven members of the Virginia delegation in sending a letter to Zeldin urging the EPA to maintain its landmark Endangerment Finding to protect the health and welfare of communities. She was joined by U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, and Reps. Bobby Scott, Don Beyer, Eugene Vindman, Suhas Subramanyam and James Walkinshaw.
“We are deeply concerned about the recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposal to eliminate the 2009 Endangerment Finding and what that will mean for the health and safety of our constituents in Virginia. The Endangerment Finding requires the EPA to protect people from the pollution that causes climate change. Denying the danger of climate change cannot change the facts. Pollution from fossil fuels heats our planet, makes extreme weather disasters more severe, and harms us all — especially the most vulnerable,” they wrote to Zeldin.
The lawmakers have witnessed first hand the impact of climate change on their constituents as extreme weather events have increased in Virginia and cost billions of dollars. In 2024, 10 extreme weather events in Virginia cost $1 billion or more in damage, including Hurricane Helene, which devastated farms and caused nearly $160 million in agricultural damage.
“By eliminating the Endangerment Finding, the Trump Administration aims to undermine other protections against climate pollution: clean car and truck standards, power plant rules, oil and gas rules, landfill rules, and more. It means giving polluters a free pass to pollute at the expense of families across the country. It means our constituents will face more climate chaos and more pollution, especially in communities already overburdened by pollution, health harms, and higher costs,” the Virginia lawmakers wrote.
The Endangerment Finding has given the EPA authority to regulate greenhouse gas pollutants under the Clean Air Act. Rescinding the ruling means a simultaneous elimination of all pollution standards for light-, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, a critical tool necessary in stopping climate change and avoiding the worst impacts to human health and the U.S. economy.
“We urge the EPA to maintain the Endangerment Finding and protect the health and welfare of Virginians and communities across the country,” the members concluded.
Comments may be submitted online.
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Rebecca Barnabi
