Brownley, Sustainable Energy and Environment Caucus Send Letter to EPA Highlighting Climate Change-Impact Stories Across the Nation

Washington, DC - Congresswoman Brownley joined 153 Members of Congress in a public comment letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin in opposition to the EPA's proposal to rescind the landmark 2009 Endangerment Finding that greenhouse gases threaten public health and welfare. The Members called on Administrator Zeldin to stop his attacks on pollution protections for the American people.

As an addendum to the public comment letter, the Members of Congress shared on-the-ground stories from their districts, highlighting the myriad of ways climate change is already impacting Americans in every corner of the nation. Given the scientific consensus surrounding climate change and its impacts already being felt around the nation, the EPA must provide answers to these lived experiences. Administrator Zeldin and his EPA must explain how rolling back the Endangerment Finding will protect Americans from the multitude of health and financial impacts of the climate crisis.

"Rescinding the 2009 Endangerment Finding-despite overwhelming scientific and firsthand evidence that greenhouse gas pollutants are a danger to human health and welfare-is not only an egregious escalation in climate denialism but also an obvious denial of the reality that millions of Americans now face," wrote the Members. "In addition to billions of dollars in damages, hundreds of lives lost, extensive peer-reviewed research, and overwhelming scientific consensus regarding these pollutants' impacts, we are sharing the attached stories that we as Members of Congress have collected that reflect the impacts of climate change on our constituents. These are clear examples from our Congressional districts of how climate pollution 'may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare.' We request that you respond to each and every one of these stories through the public comment process."

"For generations, families have chosen Ventura County and the Conejo Valley as home because of its picturesque landscapes, resilient economy, and superior quality of life," wrote Congresswoman Brownley. "From the Oxnard coastline to the inland hills of Simi Valley, residents of this vibrant region face growing risks from climate change that threaten their health, safety, and livelihoods.

"Wildfires are becoming more frequent and more destructive, fueled by hotter temperatures and prolonged droughts. In 2017, the Thomas Fire tore through over 280,000 acres, destroying homes and businesses and forcing tens of thousands to evacuate. At the time, it was the largest wildfire in California's history, a record that stood only briefly before being surpassed by even larger blazes. Many residents live along the wildland-urban interface, where dry hillsides and encroaching flames are a constant danger. Each fire season brings renewed anxiety, lasting trauma, and harmful smoke that threatens public health across the region.

"At the same time, water insecurity threatens Ventura County's $2 billion agricultural economy, which produces specialty crops that help feed the nation. Repeated droughts have forced farmers into impossible choices about which fields to keep alive, costing jobs and raising food prices for working families already under strain.

"Along the coast, rising seas and stronger storms are eroding beaches and bluffs, placing homes, roads, and critical infrastructure at risk. The Port of Hueneme and the Channel Islands Harbor already see flooding during storms. Naval Base Ventura County, which is critical to both our national security and local economy, faces growing risks from sea level rise and coastal erosion. These changes not only endanger property but also strain local governments, first responders, and taxpayers who must manage the growing costs of climate-related damage and the soaring costs of insurance premiums.

"The impacts of climate change are being felt now, in our homes, our workplaces, and our everyday lives. Instead of eroding the federal response to climate change, we should be maintaining, enforcing, and strengthening the protections that preserve the quality of life that has defined our communities for generations," added Brownley.

Background

On July 29, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced his formal proposal to rescind the Endangerment Finding - the scientific determination that greenhouse gases endanger human health and must be regulated under the Clean Air Act. Threatening the 2009 Endangerment Finding and EPA's explicit authority to regulate greenhouse gases began as part of the Trump Administration's Day One Executive Actions.

In response, SEEC sent a letter in January condemning the Trump Administration's Day One Executive Actions that rolled back a multitude of critical pollution regulations and environmental protections, including the Endangerment Finding. In February, SEEC sent another letter condemning Administrator Zeldin's reported recommendation to rescind the Endangerment Finding and urged him to follow the science and protect Americans from planet-warming pollution.

Last week, members of SEEC held a press conference at the Capitol to oppose EPA's proposed rollbacks of the Endangerment Finding and vehicle emissions standards that will make our air dirtier and our lives more expensive.

Read the text of the letter, including the climate impact stories shared by Members, here.

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Issues: 119th Congress, Climate Crisis, Environment, Environmental Protection, Local Issues