The head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reportedly urged President Donald Trump to reconsider the “endangerment finding,” a scientific determination that forms the basis of climate change regulations in the United States.
The endangerment finding, established in 2009, concluded that greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide pose a risk to public health and welfare by contributing to climate change.
While President Trump has expressed skepticism about climate science, the head of the EPA has sought a reassessment of the scientific basis for current climate-related regulations.
Courts have upheld the EPA’s authority to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act, and any attempt to undo the finding would likely require substantial legal justification and could trigger prolonged litigation.
While the EPA has not officially announced any intention to alter the endangerment finding, the reported request reflects ongoing tensions within the administration regarding the regulation of greenhouse gases and climate-related policies.