Rep. McBride Condemns Trump’s Biggest Rollback of Environmental Protections

Washington, DC -Today, Congresswoman McBride condemned President Trump and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin's final repeal of the Endangerment Finding and proposals to rollback critical clean vehicle and power plant pollution standards.

"Repealing these standards does absolutely nothing to help working Americans, families, or our communities," Rep. McBride said. "Instead, Donald Trump and Lee Zeldin are prioritizing profits for big corporations at the expense of my neighbors."

The EPA's primary function is to protect American's health and the environment - this means having clean air, land, and water. Under the Clean Air Act, the EPA is specifically obligated to protect people from motor vehicle emissions which cause or contribute to air pollution that may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare.

The endangerment finding, a landmark rule published in 2009, determined that emissions from cars and trucks contribute to that danger. Reversing vehicle pollution standards will worsen risks of chronic health conditions, make air dirtier, worsen risks of cancer, and damage the environment.

"Eliminating the endangerment finding sows chaos and gives fossil fuel companies license to pollute at will, stripping critical protections that save lives," McBride noted. "Rolling back vehicle pollution standards undermines settled science and makes it harder to clean up our air, fight asthma, cancer, and chronic disease-all while raising costs for consumers."

Rescinding vehicle pollution standards will stunt the rapid development of the clean vehicles industry, which is responsible for hundreds of thousands of family-sustaining jobs across the country.

In September 2025, Rep. McBride joined more than 150 members of Congress in submitting a public comment letter led by the House Sustainable Energy & Environment Coalition opposing the repeal.

Representative McBride shared the following with the EPA in opposition to the roll back of the 2009 Endangerment Finding:

"In Delaware, the impacts of climate change aren't theoretical - they are part of daily life. As the lowest lying state in the nation, sea level rise poses an existential threat to our communities.

"We are already seeing 'sunny day' flooding in places like Bowers Beach, Southbridge, and Lewes, where water now comes up through storm drains and onto streets simply because the tide is high. Families are forced to miss work, schools close early, and property values are threatened by the simple fact that neighborhoods are underwater more often. Farmers in Kent and Sussex Counties are seeing saltwater creep into fields and wells, jeopardizing crops that have supported generations of Delaware farm families.

"The risks extend beyond our coast. Delaware has warmed by roughly two degrees over the last century. Summers are hotter and longer, with heat waves placing seniors, children, and outdoor workers at higher risk of heat illness and straining our electric grid. Heavy rainfall is overwhelming stormwater systems and flooding neighborhoods, while more intense storms increase the chance of levee breaches and infrastructure failures.

"Our wetlands - which provide natural protection against storm surge and habitat for migratory birds and horseshoe crabs - are disappearing. Scientists warn that by 2100, more than 110,000 acres of Delaware could be underwater, nearly a tenth of our state's land. That would mean the near-total loss of these wetlands and the protections they provide.

"Delawareans are resilient, but resilience alone is not enough. We cannot tell families already living with chronic flooding, dangerous heat, and rising insurance rates that the science is 'unduly pessimistic.' The cost of inaction is too high for our homes, our economy, and our way of life. Climate change is here, and in Delaware, we know the stakes could not be clearer."

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