By John Q. Hosedrinker 
The Trump administration is seeking to overturn the EPA’s 2009 “endangerment finding,” which classified greenhouse gas emissions as a threat and served as the basis for climate regulations. This proposal aims to revoke the government’s authority to regulate pollutants from burning fossil fuels, like carbon dioxide and methane, under the Clean Air Act. The administration argues this move would drive down costs and boost American energy production, while critics express concerns about undermining climate action and benefiting the fossil fuel industry. The EPA is making legal arguments that the previous administration overstepped their authority. This decision faces potential legal challenges and could take years to resolve.
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Trump’s EPA now says greenhouse gases don’t endanger people. It’s a statement that, frankly, feels like a punch to the gut when you consider the realities of our changing climate. More than anything else from that administration, this stance may very well be its most damaging legacy. We can bounce back from economic downturns, and we can work on the injustices of the world, but the environmental damage being done is something that science struggles to even fully predict. It’s a frightening concept, and it’s hard not to feel like we’re being deliberately led toward a future of environmental disaster.
It’s as if they’re deliberately ignoring the escalating climate-related tragedies. Those devastating floods, the extreme weather events – they’re all linked to a changing climate. But it appears that this administration has chosen to label climate change as some kind of “religion” and promote unfettered capitalism, all in the name of lowering costs for Americans. But let’s be clear, the only thing that deregulation does is increase corporate profits, not necessarily lower prices.
And of course, this stance is often intertwined with other contentious issues. It’s interesting to see how the right wing tries to deny climate change, despite overwhelming scientific evidence. They start by dismissing the concept entirely, then move to trying to discredit the science, and ultimately fall back on conspiracy theories. It’s exhausting to watch the mental gymnastics needed to justify this viewpoint.
The implications of this decision are far-reaching. If greenhouse gases are not considered dangerous, it opens the door to dismantling environmental regulations and weakening the scientific research that supports them. It means industries can pollute more freely, that the air we breathe and the water we drink are at greater risk. It truly feels like a step backward.
This isn’t just about environmental policy, it’s about a broader trend of disregarding facts and attacking expertise. This administration seems determined to undermine science, and, in doing so, the health and well-being of the entire population. It’s a dangerous path, one that requires constant vigilance.
And it’s disheartening to see how the government told us cigarettes were harmless in the past, so why would we trust them on the environment? The blatant disregard for the future, the focus on short-term gains at the expense of long-term consequences, it’s truly astonishing. The whole world, it seems, is moving forward, while we’re stuck with apathy and denials.
Ultimately, the legacy of this administration will be measured in many ways, but the long-term damage to the environment will be its most enduring effect. It’s a legacy of denial, deregulation, and a profound disregard for the planet and its people. It’s hard not to see this as a deliberate destruction of the basics, and the construction of an environment of hate, fear, and oppression. It makes you wonder what kind of world we’re leaving for future generations.