EPA rescinds policy on greenhouse gases, danger to human health

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will rescind the long-standing finding that greenhouse gases and its emissions endanger human health, as well as tailpipe emission standards for vehicles, setting off what it describes as the largest deregulatory action in U.S. history.

According to the head of the EPA, Lee Zeldin, the move will save Americans money and unravel two decades of regulation aimed at reducing carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases from cars, power plants, oil production and other sources.

The U.S. Supreme Court in its landmark Massachusetts v. EPA case in 2007 said the EPA has authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and required the agency to make a scientific finding on whether they endanger public health.

If finalized, this action will devastate the EPA’s ability to carry out its primary authority to limit climate pollution under the federal Clean Air Act.

JoAnna Strother, Senior Director of Advocacy of the Arizona American Lung Association, joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss what this walk back means for the EPA.

“Since the Clean Air Act, we have seen improvements in air quality. Those specific pieces of laws and regulations protect our health, and they work when they’re put in place,” Strother said. “Over the past couple of years, and in this last report, we did see ozone is getting worse.”

According to Strother, the transportation sector contributes most to polluting Arizona, which already ranks fourth in the worst pollution. In a report done by the Arizona American Lung Association, they found transitioning to zero emission vehicles saves $15.1 billion is public health benefits.

As pollution gets increasingly worse, Arizonans will see more lung-related health issues including childhood asthma and COBD, as well as a increase in general health problems.

The Arizona American Lung Association is taking action to minimize climate pollution in Arizona, and reduce further greenhouse gas emissions.

“We’re going to continue talking to our lawmakers in the state, our local lawmakers that we need to do more here in Arizona,” Strother said. “We need to tackle our transportation problem that we hear, we need to build infrastructure to support those zero emmision vehicles, we need to transition to wind and solar.”