A Major Deregulatory Action with Disputed Savings
Zeldin claims that these regulatory rollbacks “are expected to save Americans $54 billion in costs annually.” However, the EPA’s own internal reports present a different picture, indicating that controlling pollution will actually lead to substantial financial benefits. These include $820 billion in fuel savings and $1.8 trillion in public health and climate benefits over the next three decades.
Scientific Consensus vs. Policy Shift
The timing of this decision is especially critical, given the escalating climate crisis. 2024 was the hottest year ever recorded, a period marked by more powerful and damaging natural disasters. Since 2010, there have been hundreds of disasters that have cost over $1.7 trillion in damages and the lives of over 7,700 people.
Robert Howarth, an ecology expert from Cornell University, strongly condemned the repeal of the 2009 endangerment finding, stating, “For the EPA to repeal the 2009 finding borders on criminal negligence.” He underscored the clear scientific consensus: “the science has been clear for a long time: climate change is a big and growing problem caused by burning fossil fuels, and it’s dangerous.”
Health Concerns, Especially for Children
Beyond the economic and scientific arguments, significant concerns have been raised regarding public health, particularly the well-being of children, both born and unborn. Critics warn that increased air pollution could lead to more asthma attacks and breathing problems in young children, whose lungs are still developing.
There are also worries about the impact on babies still in the womb, with potential effects on their development and future health. This is because their health is dependent on the mother’s environment with exposure to harmful air pollution leading to risks such as low birth weight and even changes in brain development. Gina McCarthy, a former EPA administrator, expressed serious apprehension, believing that the current EPA is “putting the safety of our loved ones at risk.”
Proven Effectiveness and a Call to Stewardship
The good news is that past environmental regulations have demonstrated their effectiveness. For instance, thanks to past policies, cars pollute 24% less than they did in 2011. Additionally, tougher rules put in place in 2024 were expected to stop 7.2 billion tons of pollution by 2055 and save $13 billion annually in health costs.
From these facts, we as Christians need to work to be good stewards of the environment. As we are reminded in the Bible (Genesis 2:15) God put us on Earth “to work it and take care of it.” So now is the time to advocate for a world where our children can breathe fresh air and admire God’s creation.