Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Federal Regulation Epa Endangerment Finding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Evansville staff warns EPA proposal to rescind 2009 endangerment finding, urges public comment by Sept. 22
Summary
City environmental staff told the Evansville Climate Collaborative the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed removing its 2009 endangerment finding that classifies greenhouse gases as air pollutants, and invited public comment through Sept. 22; staff offered links and technical resources for community submissions.
Lauren Norvell, a staff member with the Evansville Climate Collaborative, told the board Aug. 19 that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed overturning its 2009 endangerment finding that treats greenhouse gases as an air pollutant and said the agency is accepting public comment through Sept. 22.
The endangerment finding is the EPA determination that greenhouse gases “are air pollutants and they are likely causing harm to human health,” Norvell said. If the finding is rescinded, she said, the agency would “not have the jurisdiction or authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.”
“The science says that greenhouse gas emissions are air pollutants like many others,” Norvell said in the meeting. “It would be alarming if it was rewritten to do away with that endangerment finding because it would, therefore, be a concern for human health as well as, more, acceleration of climate change.”
Norvell said the Collaborative can provide legal and scientific resources to community members who want to submit comments and offered to place links in the meeting minutes and on the group’s website. She added that she attended a webinar about the proposed rule hosted by Lawyers for Good Government and recommended that people filing comments include scientific or legal rationale.
Board members and staff clarified that individual commenters must file written comments themselves; Norvell said she can provide materials and that the decision to submit a comment on behalf of the city would be “up to the mayor.”
Why it matters: The endangerment finding underpins many federal greenhouse-gas regulations. Rescinding it would narrow the EPA’s regulatory authority over emissions, according to Norvell’s explanation to the board.
Next steps: Staff said it will circulate resources and a link for public comment; Norvell encouraged board members to share the materials to raise awareness ahead of the Sept. 22 deadline.
