| Houston, Texas – Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee issued the following statement in response to the Trump Administration's proposal to rescind the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) 2009 Endangerment Finding, which serves as the legal foundation for regulating greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act: "Make no mistake—this is not about electric vehicles. This is about the EPA flat-out refusing to do its job to protect us from climate pollution. Today's proposal represents a complete abdication of the federal government's responsibility to safeguard public health and welfare from the climate crisis. The Endangerment Finding is the cornerstone that drives all EPA regulation of greenhouse gases. If this finding is rescinded, it will be disastrous for climate change regulation and will strip away the legal authority that has protected Americans for more than a decade. We are already witnessing the catastrophic effects of climate change here in Harris County and across the country, from historic flooding and heat waves to extreme weather events that we know are made worse by climate change. Now, this administration wants to roll back the very regulations designed to address these threats. This reckless action won't just impact our lives today, but it will hand future generations a more dangerous and unstable climate. This proposal is designed to obliterate more than a decade's worth of critical regulations limiting greenhouse gas emissions. This is their roadmap to gut tailpipe standards for cars and trucks, dismantle restrictions on power plant emissions, and eliminate controls on natural gas operations. Harris County will not stand by while the Trump administration tries to erase decades of climate science and endanger our communities. My office will be submitting comprehensive comments during the public comment period to oppose this dangerous rollback. We will continue to advocate relentlessly for the health and well-being of Harris County residents, and we will explore every available legal avenue to defend the public's right to breathe clean air and live in a safe environment. This is a fight for our future, for our children, and for the planet we leave behind. We will not back down." |