Colorado Sierra Club Condemns EPA Elimination of Endangerment Finding

DENVER - Today the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized a rule revoking the basis for regulating greenhouse gas pollution under the Clean Air Act. The decision flies in the face of legal history and overwhelming scientific evidence establishing that the nation faces extraordinary threats from sources of pollution like power plants, vehicles, fossil fuel development, agriculture and more, which drive global warming.

The Trump administration has specifically targeted Colorado in recent months at the behest of the fossil fuel industry, unnecessarily endangering residents with more pollution and higher energy bills. The EPA rejectedColorado's Regional Haze plan in order to boost coal plants, and the Department of Energy illegally orderedthe Craig 1 coal unit to stay open past its scheduled retirement.

The Sierra Club played a key role in litigating climate pollution under the Clean Air Act, and the Trump Administration's actions demonstrate it is necessary to continue that fight. While the new rule specifically concerns greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles, EPA has made clear that it will do the same for other major sources of climate pollution like power plants.

"We needn't look beyond our state's own borders to see that the climate crisis is here and it's dangerous. We experienced historic wildfires, continued power shutoffs during wind events, severe drought and warm temperatures," said Margaret Kran-Annexstein, Director of the Colorado Sierra Club. "Colorado Sierra Club's members remain steadfast in their fight for science-based land management, affordable, clean heat and cooling in our buildings, renewable energy transitions, and the growth of clean transportation systems. We're going to win this fight. Despite the Trump administration's clear disdain for human life, there is no amount of climate denial that can stop people from building the more just and sustainable future they want."

"Colorado lawmakers have a real opportunity to stand up to the Trump administration this session," said Garrett Royer, Sierra Club Colorado's Political Director."They can side with communities and maintain our climate progress, or they can side with Trump's climate denial and backtrack on the commitments to building clean energy, retiring expensive coal plants and protecting our lungs from dangerous pollution."

About the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is America's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit https://www.sierraclub.org.