Trump Repeals EPA Finding That Enabled Emissions Limits (Full Transcript)
[00:00:00] Speaker 1: We are officially terminating the so-called endangerment finding. The Trump administration made its most significant change to climate policy yet. They repealed the Obama-era endangerment finding. The finding determined that six greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide and methane, are a harm to human health. That finding enabled the EPA to have the legal authority to put limits on that sort of pollution coming from cars, power plants, and the fossil fuel industry. But scientists warn that the repeal will endanger human health and also negatively impact the global fight on climate change. The administration's moves essentially erases federal limits on this kind of pollution.
[00:00:42] Speaker 2: The president, when asked about the health impact of this move, said, I tell them don't worry about it because it has nothing to do with public health. This is all a scam.
[00:00:51] Speaker 1: Well, that's in conflict with decades of science. Legal battles challenging this latest move by the Trump administration is likely to go on for years to come.
- The EPA endangerment finding identified six greenhouse gases as harmful to human health and underpinned federal emissions regulation.
- Repealing the finding removes a key legal basis for limiting greenhouse-gas pollution from major sources like vehicles and power plants.
- Scientists warn the move could worsen health outcomes and impede global climate-change mitigation.
- The president rejects public-health concerns, calling climate-related regulation a “scam,” contradicting established scientific evidence.
- The repeal is expected to face lengthy legal challenges.