EPA and potentially overturn it, which would have massive implications for the future of climate policy in the United States.
Environmental groups and Democratic lawmakers have already vowed to fight the EPA’s proposal tooth and nail. They argue that climate change poses an existential threat to humanity and that the U.S. government has a responsibility to take action to mitigate it. They also point out that the majority of Americans support government action on climate change, according to numerous polls.
In response to the EPA’s announcement, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer promised to introduce legislation that would codify the endangerment finding into law, making it more difficult for future administrations to overturn it. “Climate change is real, it’s happening now, and we need to take action to address it,” Schumer said in a statement. “The EPA’s proposal is reckless and dangerous, and we will not stand idly by while they try to dismantle the progress we’ve made on combating climate change.”
The battle over the endangerment finding is just beginning, but it promises to be a long and contentious one. The outcome will have far-reaching implications for the future of climate policy in the United States and could shape the country’s response to the climate crisis for decades to come. Only time will tell whether the EPA’s proposal will succeed or whether it will be struck down by the courts, but one thing is certain: the fight over climate policy is far from over.
