Energy Environmental Blog

Endangerment Finding

Written by Greg Russell | Dec 7, 2009 10:05:26 PM

U.S. EPA has issued its endangerment finding, announcing that greenhouse gases threaten the public health and welfare of the American people:

The Administrator finds that six greenhouse gases taken in combination endanger both the public health and the public welfare of current and future generations.  The Administrator also finds that the combined emissions of these greenhouse gases from new motor vehicles and new motor vehicle engines contribute to the greenhouse gas air pollution that endangers public health and welfare under CAA section 202(a).

You can find copies of both the finding itself and EPA's technical support documents here.

[Update:  We neglected to mention - These findings do not themselves impose any requirements on industry or other entities. However, this action is a prerequisite to finalizing the EPA’s proposed greenhouse gas emission standards for light-duty vehicles, which were jointly proposed by EPA and the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Safety Administration on September 15, 2009.]