EPA Must Keep the Endangerment Finding in Place

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