A pivotal decision by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) raises questions about our commitment to stewardship. As believers, we are called to tend to the environment. Thus, we observe with concern the EPA’s recent move to revoke its 2009 “endangerment finding,” a scientific cornerstone that has long guided pollution regulations. This action, heralded by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin as “the largest deregulatory action in the history of America,” has stirred considerable criticism from environmental experts and former public servants.
Economic Claims Versus Environmental Benefits
Administrator Zeldin claims that this reversal will usher in savings of “$54 billion in costs annually” for Americans. Yet, counter to this claim, the EPA’s own reports suggest a different truth: that controlling pollution could generate far greater net positive outcomes over the next three decades, including $820 billion in fuel savings and $1.8 trillion in public health and climate benefits.
The gravity of this decision is especially underscored by concerns about climate trends. 2024 was the hottest year on record, a period marked by more powerful and damaging natural disasters. Since 2010, such disasters have incurred damage costs exceeding $1.7 trillion and claimed over 7,700 lives.
Robert Howarth, an ecology expert from Cornell University, articulated the scientific community’s alarm, stating that “For the EPA to repeal the 2009 finding borders on criminal negligence.” He emphasized that “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 Impacts and the Vulnerable
Beyond the economic and scientific arguments, deep concerns persist regarding the health and well-being of the most vulnerable among us—our children, both born and unborn. Critics warn that increased air pollution poses significant risks, potentially leading to more asthma attacks and breathing problems in young children, whose lungs are still developing.
There are also apprehensions about its impact on babies still in the womb because the fetus’s development depends on their mother’s environment. Harmful air pollutants have the potential to inflict adverse effects on fetal development, including low birth weight and changes in brain development.
A History of Effective Regulation and a Call to Action
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. Furthermore, tougher rules implemented in 2024 were projected to prevent 7.2 billion tons of pollution and save $13 billion annually in health costs.
As a contributor to the 2009 endangerment project stated about their work: “It has stood the test of time and the science has only gotten stronger.”
Nevertheless, the current EPA is choosing a different path, rolling back these vital protections. As Christians, we have to remember Genesis 2:15, where God placed Adam on Earth and commanded him “to work it and take care of it.” In this way, our children for many generations will be able to enjoy God’s creation.
