Trump Administration Reportedly Planning Widespread Attacks on Our Pollution Safeguards

“Today we saw signs that the Trump administration plans a widespread attack against many of our most protective and effective health and environmental safeguards. 

“News reports say the administration will soon rescind the Endangerment Finding – EPA’s science-based determination that climate pollution harms public health and welfare, and the legal foundation for our laws to reduce that pollution and protect people from the stronger hurricanes, more powerful floods, more frequent fires and other deadly hazards caused by climate change. The Endangerment Finding is firmly established in U.S. law and supported by an ever-growing mountain of scientific research. 

“The same reports say the administration plans to overturn our Clean Cars and Clean Trucks standards, which reduce climate pollution from the transportation sector – the largest source of that pollution in the U.S. And a rule expected to delay protective methane standards for the oil and gas industry was released from the Office of Management and Budget yesterday, which means it may soon be finalized. Delaying the methane standards would allow more dangerous pollution into our air from oil and gas leaks, venting and flaring.

“These actions, all at once, suggest a scorched earth campaign against our health, our safety and our planet. The results would be more deaths and illnesses, more damages from climate change, fewer American jobs and higher prices for American families. But we have solutions at hand that would provide cleaner air to breathe, protect American jobs and our health, and save our hard-earned money. 

“Americans don’t want more polluted, unhealthy air, higher energy and insurance bills, and a bleaker future for our children. EDF will fight to keep strong pollution protections in place – so they can protect us.”

            - Fred Krupp, president, Environmental Defense Fund