EPA Must Keep the Endangerment Finding in Place

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By Layne Stracener

Climate change isn’t a distant problem—it’s happening in our communities right now. Heat waves, severe flooding, poor air quality and rising energy costs are already affecting families and businesses across Kansas City, the Midwest and the nation. That’s why the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposal to repeal the Endangerment Finding is so concerning.

This action would weaken the agency’s authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and dismantle a wide range of safeguards across the power, transportation, and oil and natural gas sectors—jeopardizing decades of progress in reducing pollution, advancing clean energy, and protecting public health.

The Endangerment Finding, first issued in 2009, confirmed that greenhouse gases harm public health and welfare. Since then, scientific evidence has only grown stronger. Research from Stanford shows that climate change is driving more severe heat waves, larger wildfires, rising seas and worsening food insecurity and health problems.

A 2018 study led by Stanford climate scientist Chris Field found that the evidence for each impact identified in the original Endangerment Finding has increased dramatically, and also documented new risks, including ocean acidification, threats to national security and even increased dangers of violence.

At Metropolitan Energy Center, we work every day with partners in the power, transportation and building sectors to cut greenhouse gas emissions and make communities healthier, safer and more economically resilient. Repealing the Endangerment Finding would make that work harder and leave our region more vulnerable to climate impacts.

The science is clear. The need for action is urgent. EPA must keep the Endangerment Finding in place to protect public health, support innovation and ensure a stable climate for future generations.

You can make your voice heard, too. Submit a comment to EPA today. Every unique comment must be reviewed. Together, we can help protect climate action for our communities and our future: regulations.gov/commenton/EPA-HQ-OAR-2025-0194-0093

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Kansas City buildings and skyline2025 MEC

Metropolitan Energy Center Collaborates with Kansas City to Advance Building Performance Standards

Metropolitan Energy Center (MEC) is proud to announce its partnership with the City of Kansas City, Missouri and the Building Energy Exchange (BEEx) in a groundbreaking initiative to improve energy efficiency across the city’s building stock. The multi-year project will lay the foundation for establishing Building Performance Standards (BPS) in Kansas City, Missouri, ensuring that local buildings meet modern energy efficiency requirements.

Building Performance Standards require building owners to benchmark their energy usage, a critical first step in identifying energy-saving opportunities. St. Louis has already set a precedent by enforcing BPS, requiring building owners with Energy Use Intensity (EUI) scores below the standard threshold (52/54) to develop and implement improvement plans within 2-3 years.

The City of Kansas City, Missouri aims to follow suit by developing its own BPS policy, which will be proposed to the City Council at the project’s conclusion. The City of Kansas City, MO, with MEC and others, is also taking measures to provide training and jobs for those involved in implementing energy-saving upgrades.

Kansas City buildings and skyline
Considering our city’s vast building stock, the City of Kansas City, Missouri and Metropolitan Energy Center support property managers and owners boosting performance of their buildings.

“This initiative is a crucial step forward in creating a more sustainable and resilient Kansas City,” said Mary English, MEC’s Building Performance Program Manager. “By setting clear standards and offering support to property owners, we can significantly reduce energy waste, lower utility costs, and improve the occupancy health and quality of life for all Kansas City residents.”

MEC will play a pivotal role in this project by assisting the City of Kansas City, Missouri with policy development and stakeholder engagement. One of our key objectives is to conduct commercial building energy assessments, a critical task in identifying “low-hanging fruit” opportunities for energy savings at low or no cost. This critical step will dovetail with helping integrate benchmarking data into the City’s software, analyze building performance, and recommend cost-effective strategies to meet the proposed EUI threshold.         

The City of Kansas City, Mo. aims to collaborate with property managers and owners to establish reasonable EUI benchmarks and identify the most efficient, cost-effective measures to achieve these standards, supporting their broader goal of improving energy efficiency across the city. By the end of the project, the City of Kansas City, Missouri aims to propose a BPS policy that sets clear energy efficiency goals and provides the tools and support necessary for compliance.

“We encourage all building owners and property managers to actively engage with us during this process,” English added. “Your input and participation are vital to shaping a policy that is both effective and practical. Together, we can make Kansas City a leader in energy efficiency and sustainability.”

This initiative aligns with MEC’s mission to enhance resource efficiency, environmental health, and economic vitality in the Kansas City region and beyond. By setting the groundwork for Building Performance Standards, Kansas City, Missouri is taking a significant step toward a cleaner, greener, and more resilient future, advancing the city’s carbon neutrality goals for 2040.

Get Involved: Building owners and managers are encouraged to join upcoming public consultations and information sessions hosted by MEC and BEEx. Visit www.metroenergy.org/energy-solutions-hub or contact Mary English at 816-531-7283 for more details on how you can participate and stay informed.

About Metropolitan Energy Center: Metropolitan Energy Center is a non-profit organization based in Missouri, established in 1983. By leading the responsible use of natural and economic resources, MEC’s work benefits communities through increased energy efficiency, environmental sustainability, and economic prosperity. MEC works so that the benefits of clean energy use are available to all people. Our mission is to create resource efficiency, environmental health, and economic vitality in the Kansas City region and beyond. Find out more about our work at www.MetroEnergy.org.

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