Statement: EPA fails to protect public health in new proposal
Media Contacts
Plan turns blind eye to health co-benefits under the Clean Air Act
Environment America
WASHINGTON — Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler yesterday announced a plan for the agency to no longer consider health benefits in the cost-benefit analysis of new environmental regulations under the Clean Air Act. In the past, the EPA has found that the Clean Air Act has helped Americans avoid many thousands of premature deaths, heart attacks, and lost work and school days.
This proposed change would compound a significant number of polluter-friendly rules already implemented by the Trump administration, including weakening the Clean Car Standards and rolling back the Clean Power Plan.
Andrea McGimsey, senior director for Environment America’s Global Warming Solutions campaign, issued the following statement:
“The EPA is completely acting counter to its mission with this plan. The agency’s website is crystal clear when it says its role is to ‘protect human health and the environment.’ By neglecting to consider the health benefits of environmental regulations in cost-benefit analyses, the EPA is unmistakably undermining our country’s well-being.
“The Trump administration will be hearing from many Americans about this far-reaching attempt to undercut our communities’ and our families’ health for the benefit of polluters.”