U.S. Conference of Mayors Statement on EPA’s Decision to No Longer Regulate Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Washington, D.C.- Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that the Agency will no longer regulate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, claiming that Congress never explicitly gave them the authority to do so under the Clean Air Act. This contradicts a 2007 Supreme Court ruling that stated that GHG emissions does fit the definition of air pollutants and that EPA must determine if they endanger public health. In its 2009 landmark "endangerment finding" decision, EPA confirmed six greenhouse gases as a threat to public health and allowed for their regulation to protect the wellbeing of all Americans and address the real threat of climate change. In response, U.S. Conference of Mayors CEO and Executive Director Tom Cochran released the following statement:

"America's mayors are on the frontlines, witnessing the serious and costly consequences of climate change. As leaders who have guided their communities through hurricanes, fires, floods, and life-threatening storms, mayors know all too well that climate change is not a hoax, it cannot be ignored, and the causes must be confronted. For decades, mayors across the political spectrum have partnered with the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal agencies to mitigate the effects of climate change. Today's announcement by EPA authorities is a terrible step backwards.

"Cities have taken significant steps toward advancing actionable climate solutions, but policymakers at every level of government must do their part to get the job done. Mayors are urging EPA officials and the Administration to reverse this decision and pledge to partner with state and federal lawmakers to fight for policy that addresses climate change with the seriousness that it requires."