LCV Statement Ahead of EPA Repealing Endangerment Finding and Rolling Back Climate Pollution Limits on Cars and Mercury Limits on Power Plants

Washington, D.C.– In response to reporting of the EPA’s imminent repeal of the endangerment finding and rollback of climate pollution limits on cars and mercury pollution limits on power plants, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) issued the following statement from former EPA scientist and Vice President of Federal Policy, Matthew Davis:

“Trump and EPA administrator Zeldin are giving polluters a free pass to pollute – enriching billionaire fossil fuel executives at our expense. Their impending decision comes after the EPA announced earlier this year that they will no longer count premature death or other health effects from air pollution in rulemakings. The EPA has one job — to protect our health and our environment. Instead, Trump and Zeldin are gaslighting the public and denying the harms from the climate crisis and air pollution. Repealing the endangerment finding takes the legs out from under the EPA’s carbon pollution standards that save lives, and would raise families’ insurance, transportation, and energy costs by letting fossil fuel companies off the hook for their harmful pollution. At the same time, rolling back the vehicle pollution standards would expose communities across the country to more air pollution from vehicle exhaust, worsening the risks of lung and heart disease, cancer, and premature death. 

“Adding insult to injury, Trump and Zeldin are poised to provide another handout to coal-fired power plants to allow them to continue polluting our air and water, while harming our health and our children’s future. Rolling back the mercury and air toxics standards, which have been saving lives and improving children’s development, is particularly harmful when the administration is also forcing dirty costly coal plants to stay running past their closure dates.

“At a time when energy bills are skyrocketing and climate impacts—from extreme heat to wildfires to superstorms–are ravaging communities and spiking insurance costs, we should focus on bringing cheaper clean energy online, not delaying clean energy projects and endangering public health and our environment.”

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