U.S. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin is expected to announce a major policy proposal during a visit to Indianapolis on July 29.
Zeldin has focused his tenure at the EPA rolling back environmental rules, slashing staff and advancing President Donald Trump’s Unleashing America’s Energy agenda.
Zeldin will announce the repeal of what is known as the “endangerment finding,” according to a report in E&E News, a publication of Politico. The EPA’s ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions hinges on the endangerment finding — and rolling it back could exacerbate the threats posed by climate change to human health.
Governor Mike Braun, Attorney General Todd Rokita and U.S. Rep. Jim Baird, are expected join Zeldin for the announcement at Kenworth of Indianapolis.
What is the endangerment finding?
Greenhouse gases weren’t always classified as air pollutants under the Clean Air Act.
Concerns about motor vehicles emissions rising throughout the early 2000s led to a petition where 19 organizations called upon the EPA to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. The EPA rejected the petition, arguing that the gases weren’t considered air pollutants subject to the Clean Air Act.
Litigation ensued. And in 2007, the Supreme Court categorized greenhouse gases as “without a doubt” air pollutants.
In 2009, the endangerment finding gave the EPA authority to regulate six greenhouse gases — including carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide — as threats to human health. That move contributed to regulations on emissions from cars, trucks, power plants and the oil and gas industry.
What happens if it’s rolled back
Repealing the endangerment finding would be a step backward and is not supported by science, said Gabe Filippelli, a biogeochemist and professor of Earth sciences at Indiana University.
“One could argue that it is just another attempt to prop up the dirtiest of businesses we still have in the U.S., which includes coal burning power plants,” Filippelli said.
Climate changes poses a real danger for Hoosiers, and revoking these rules is a case of businesses winning and communities losing, he said. The EPA balances economic needs with environmental protection, but the two issues are not at odds.
“We need business and electricity,” Filippelli said, “but not at the expense of people’s health.”
IndyStar’s environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.
Karl Schneider is an IndyStar environment reporter. You can reach him at karl.schneider@indystar.com. Follow him on BlueSky @karlstartswithk.bsky.social or X @karlstartswithk.
Sophie Hartley is an IndyStar environment reporter. You can reach her at sophie.hartley@indystar.com or on X at @sophienhartley.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Report: Head of EPA visits Indianapolis to announce major environmental policy change
Reporting by Karl Schneider and Sophie Hartley, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
