Allen, co-chair of the Environmental Legislative Caucus, called the decision a prioritization of corporate interests over public safety.
Sen. Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica) sharply criticized the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to repeal the 2009 endangerment finding that classified greenhouse gases as pollutants endangering public health, a move that strips the federal government’s primary legal basis for regulating emissions under the Clean Air Act.
The Trump administration announced the repeal Thursday, calling the finding a “disastrous Obama-era policy” with “no basis in fact or law.” The action reverses a determination that has underpinned vehicle emissions standards, power plant rules and other climate regulations for nearly two decades.
Allen, co-chair of the Environmental Legislative Caucus, called the decision a prioritization of corporate interests over public safety.
“Today, the Trump Administration once again prioritized corporate megadonors at the expense of the American public,” Allen said in a statement. “The US EPA’s decision to ignore fact-based science, as well as the federal Clean Air Act’s mandate to protect the public from air pollutants that include greenhouse gases, will put more of our communities at risk to the catastrophic climate disasters we are already seeing play out.”
He warned of rising insurance premiums, utility rates and strain on public infrastructure and health systems if the repeal stands.
“Don’t be mistaken – we will all be paying the price of this decision if it stands,” Allen said. “Our insurance premiums and utility rates are already rising in the face of greater climate risk, and our public infrastructure and public health systems will face increasingly significant challenges.”
Allen emphasized California’s continued commitment to climate policy based on scientific evidence, even as federal protections weaken.
“California remains committed to protecting the health and safety of our residents through climate policy that is guided by scientific evidence,” he said. “While the federal government abandons this essential responsibility, we will continue utilizing every ounce of authority we have to best provide clean and healthy air, water, and land for Californians. Any step back from this commitment compromises public trust and deserves the utmost public scrutiny.”
The repeal is expected to face legal challenges from environmental groups and states.
The 2009 finding followed a 2007 Supreme Court ruling that the EPA must regulate greenhouse gases if they endanger public health or welfare. The agency has said the repeal is among the largest deregulatory actions in U.S. history.
