By Matt Underwood EPA to withdraw foundation of greenhouse gas rules, sources say, and it’s frankly infuriating. It’s like watching everything you thought was a given, things you learned as a kid even, being systematically dismantled. The idea that regulations meant to protect our planet are being undone for the sake of a few extra bucks in the pockets of those who will likely not even be around to face the consequences is, to put it mildly, disheartening.
The core of this issue seems to be the EPA’s intention to reverse a crucial scientific finding. This finding, the “endangerment finding,” is what provides the legal justification for the major regulations we have in place to deal with climate change. Things like controlling emissions from vehicles, factories, and power plants – all crucial for fighting the rising tide of greenhouse gases. If this finding is overturned, it effectively removes the foundation for these regulations, making it easier to dismantle them.
The implications of this are huge. We’re talking about a significant setback in the fight against climate change. It’s a step backward that seems almost deliberately designed to make it harder to address a problem that’s already threatening our future. To be clear, this is a massive blow to the environment, and it will lead to more pollution, illness, and death. We are truly looking at a world of hurt.
The EPA is already in the process of getting its proposal reviewed by the White House and other federal agencies. Once that’s done, it will go public for comments. This is where things get even more critical. We, the public, will have a chance to voice our concerns. The more voices, the better. We have to make sure they know we won’t stand for this.
The motivations here seem clear: money and political interests. There are powerful players with investments in fossil fuels who stand to benefit from the loosening of regulations. They don’t want the science about how harmful their industries are to be real. The fact that this administration wants to allow billionaires to build huge data centers, coal mining, and fracking makes this abundantly clear.
There is a sense of frustration, a feeling of helplessness. It feels like we are barreling toward disaster, no matter what. We are just marching faster and faster toward our own destruction regardless. The despair is real.
This is where we need to step back and remember what’s at stake. This isn’t just about politics or money; it’s about the future of our planet. It’s about the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the world we leave for future generations. And the effects won’t be felt evenly. It will be the children and those not even born yet who suffer the most.
The comments that “It’s amazing how these people think that climate destabilization isn’t going to affect them” are especially accurate. They will be dead, or old enough not to care, by the time the consequences are fully realized. They may not even realize the future damage will affect their own children or grandchildren.
We’re talking about a situation where, quite frankly, some people are prioritizing short-term profits over the long-term health of the planet. This means more disease and more deaths due to air pollution. They are going for scorched earth, ensuring the future of humanity blows and life on Earth is a pointless struggle.
The problem is complex. We are so polarized that there is no common understanding of the severity of the situation. There is no shared reality to help us combat what is happening.
There are also important reminders from the past. Like the fact that Nixon, a Republican, gave us the EPA because rivers were literally catching on fire from being so polluted. Those were pre-regulation times. How would we want to go back to that?
The challenge here is the need to stay informed. We need to keep researching, sharing information, and speaking out. We can push back against this and push for a better, cleaner future. This is not the time to give up. This is not the time to lose hope.