Health and Environmental Advocates File Lawsuit Against EPA Over Greenhouse Gas Rule Repeal
On Wednesday, a coalition of health and environmental organizations took legal action against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), contesting its recent decision to revoke a pivotal scientific finding that has long underpinned U.S. efforts to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.
The EPA's new rule, finalized last Thursday, rescinds the 2009 endangerment finding, which established that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases pose significant threats to public health and welfare. This finding, originating from the Obama administration, serves as the legal foundation for numerous climate regulations under the Clean Air Act, impacting motor vehicles, power plants, and various pollution sources.
Experts warn that this repeal not only nullifies all greenhouse gas emissions standards for cars and trucks but also paves the way for a broader rollback of climate regulations affecting stationary sources like power plants and oil and gas facilities.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, argues that the EPA's decision to rescind the endangerment finding is unlawful. According to the coalition, the 2009 finding supported essential safeguards aimed at reducing climate pollution from vehicles. They emphasized that the clean vehicle standards introduced by the Biden administration were projected to deliver unprecedented reductions in U.S. carbon pollution, ultimately saving lives and reducing fuel costs for Americans.
“After nearly two decades of scientific evidence supporting the 2009 finding, the agency cannot credibly claim that the body of work is now incorrect,” stated Brian Lynk, a senior attorney at the Environmental Law & Policy Center.
“This reckless and legally untenable decision creates immediate uncertainty for businesses, guarantees prolonged legal battles, and undermines the stability of federal climate regulations,” Lynk added.
The lawsuit includes prominent organizations such as the American Public Health Association, American Lung Association, Alliance of Nurses for a Healthy Environment, and Physicians for Social Responsibility, alongside environmental groups like the Center for Biological Diversity and Sierra Club.
Named as defendants are EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and the EPA itself. In announcing the repeal, President Trump characterized it as “the single largest deregulatory action in American history,” while Zeldin criticized the endangerment finding as “the Holy Grail of federal regulatory overreach.”
Zeldin further claimed that the endangerment finding resulted in “trillions of dollars in regulations that strangled entire sectors of the United States economy,” particularly affecting the auto industry. He accused previous administrations of using it to impose a left-wing agenda filled with costly climate policies.
Environmental advocates have labeled this repeal as an unprecedented assault on federal authority to combat climate change. They argue that evidence supporting the endangerment finding has only strengthened over the past 17 years.
Under the Clean Air Act, the EPA is mandated to limit emissions of any air pollutant that may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare. The Supreme Court's 2007 ruling in Massachusetts v. EPA confirmed that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases qualify as “air pollutants” under this act, directing the EPA to assess whether such pollution endangers human health. The agency made this determination in 2009, leading to new vehicle standards.
According to advocates, the EPA's own analysis indicates that eliminating vehicle standards will lead to increased gas prices, forcing Americans to spend more on fuel.
Dr. Gretchen Goldman, president and CEO at the Union of Concerned Scientists, criticized the EPA’s repeal of the endangerment finding as a complete failure of its mission to protect public health and its legal obligations under the Clean Air Act. “This shameful and dangerous action is rooted in falsehoods, not facts,” Goldman asserted. She highlighted that rising heat-trapping emissions and global temperatures—primarily due to fossil fuel combustion—are contributing to significant human and economic challenges worldwide.
