Health Organizations, Health Professionals and Individuals from Every State Urge EPA to Keep the Endangerment Finding in Place

Yesterday, the American Lung Association delivered detailed comments from 16 health organizations, as well as comments signed by 968 members of the public, to urge the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) not to reverse the Endangerment Finding. 

EPA has proposed to withdraw its longstanding, science-based finding that greenhouse gases endanger human health and welfare, and to roll back standards to limit greenhouse gas emissions from new cars and trucks. The comment period closed yesterday for the EPA’s proposed rule. The Lung Association’s latest comments follow the submission of a letter from 78 national, state and local health organizations and another letter, submitted by the Union of Concerned Scientists, from over 1,000 individual health and scientific experts last week.

“Science shows that climate change is a health emergency. It is already impacting families across the U.S and requires an urgent response. Unfortunately, repealing the Endangerment Finding and the standards to limit greenhouse gases from vehicles would be a huge step backwards for health,” said Harold Wimmer, President and CEO of the American Lung Association. “The Endangerment Finding affirms that emissions of greenhouse gases contribute to climate change, which worsens air pollution and harms health. The impacts of climate change – ranging from more lung-searing ozone, more intense and frequent wildfires, deadly floods and increasing risks from diseases – have direct and profound impacts on respiratory health, including heightened risks of asthma attacks, COPD exacerbations and premature death.”

“If the endangerment finding and standards to limit greenhouse gases from vehicles are overturned, it will endanger the health of people nationwide. We strongly urge EPA to abandon this harmful proposal, and to protect the health of everyone in America,” Wimmer added.

The American Lung Association submitted the following comments to EPA:

• Detailed comments signed by 16 national health organizations 
• Broad comments signed by 78 national, state and local health organizations
• Comments from 978 individuals 
• The Lung Association also recruited health professionals to sign expert comments coordinated by the Union of Concerned Scientists, which had more than 1,000 signers.

These submissions follow strong health organization presence in opposing the omission, delay and repeal of public health and climate science as well as policies designed to protect public health. Health organizations also submitted comments to the Department of Energy to correct the record on climate change and health impact science that is being overridden as justification for the repeal of the Endangerment Finding.