From: Vicki Worden, CEO, Green Building Initiative
Date: 7/30/2025
GBI is gravely concerned about yesterday’s announcement by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that the administration intends to rescind the EPA’s 2009 “endangerment finding,” upon which most current U.S. greenhouse gas rules and regulations have been based. The administration is failing to consider the very important environmental, air, and water quality improvements that have come with the nation’s greater understanding of the ways in which all aspects of industry and buildings can contribute to improving our environment.
While political sides can argue about the ultimate impact of human industry and buildings on worldwide climate, there are clear benefits to continuing to improve the performance of buildings, lowering the impacts of known environmental pollutants, and educating Americans about what we all can be doing to help support a cleaner, more beneficial environment for everyone. GBI is concerned that with this effort, the administration is wielding a hammer instead of a scalpel as it looks to rein in what it believes are excessive regulatory actions taken in the name of the endangerment finding. A more detailed and precision-focused approach to reviewing potential excesses, while acknowledging the benefits of the overall goals of the finding, is warranted.
The announcement must now be turned into a formal deregulatory process through official publication in the Federal Register, and a full notice-and-comment repeal process. Following that process, it is already widely expected that the final rescission will be subject to significant court maneuvering. However, were this decision to ultimately become finalized and cleared by the courts, it would essentially eliminate all current greenhouse gas emissions limits on vehicles and industry. The finalization of such a massive deregulatory action could also make it difficult for future administrations to regulate climate-related emissions.
As the process moves forward, GBI will continue to object to this overly broad and misguided effort to turn back decades of progress.
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