NJ Joins Multistate Coalition to Oppose EPA's Rollback of Climate Protections

NEW JERSEY - New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin has joined a coalition of 23 attorneys general and seven local governments in opposing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed rescission of the 2009 Endangerment Finding, a foundational scientific and legal determination that greenhouse gas emissions pose a danger to public health and welfare.

The coalition submitted comment letters to the EPA on September 22, strongly objecting to the agency’s plan to revoke both the Endangerment Finding and the associated federal greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards for motor vehicles. These actions, first proposed under the Trump Administration, would dismantle over 15 years of climate and public health policy rooted in scientific consensus, Supreme Court precedent, and the Clean Air Act.

“For over a decade, the EPA has acknowledged that greenhouse gases are irreparably warming our climate and harm our communities,” said Attorney General Platkin. “However, the Trump Administration is not only attempting to eliminate the EPA’s landmark endangerment finding but eliminate vehicle emissions standards that have reduced pollution and greenhouse gases in states like New Jersey. Our coalition is making formal our vehement opposition to this reckless move that serves no one except polluters and corporate executives seeking to profit at the expense of our residents’ health. We will fight this dangerous action and protect our communities.”

Background on the Endangerment Finding

The 2009 Endangerment Finding was issued following the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision in Massachusetts v. EPA (2007), which confirmed the EPA’s authority to regulate greenhouse gases. After an extensive scientific review, the agency concluded that GHG emissions from motor vehicles contribute to air pollution and endanger public health and welfare.

This finding has formed the legal basis for regulating carbon emissions from vehicles and has underpinned multiple regulatory programs aimed at combating climate change.

Just last week, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NAS) reaffirmed the validity of the 2009 finding, stating that it was "accurate, has stood the test of time, and is now reinforced by even stronger evidence."

Coalition’s Legal and Scientific Objections

In their comment letter, AG Platkin and fellow attorneys general argue that rescinding the Endangerment Finding:

• Violates the Clean Air Act, which mandates regulation of air pollutants that threaten human health.

• Conflicts with binding Supreme Court precedent, specifically Massachusetts v. EPA.

• Ignores extensive scientific consensus confirming that climate change is driven by human-induced GHG emissions.

• Relies on a flawed and incomplete report by the Department of Energy’s Climate Working Group (CWG)—a body criticized for procedural and scientific irregularities.

The coalition warned that rolling back the Endangerment Finding and vehicle emission standards would have catastrophic impacts on public health, the environment, and the economy. Among the consequences cited:

• Increased extreme weather events such as wildfires, floods, hurricanes, and droughts, with direct public health impacts.

• Rising heat-related illnesses and deaths, especially among vulnerable populations.

• Significant economic losses similar to Superstorm Sandy, which in 2012 caused $30 billion in damages and killed 38 New Jersey residents.

• Threats to coastal communities from sea level rise—particularly relevant to New Jersey’s 130 miles of shoreline.

Opposition to Rescinding Vehicle Emissions Standards

The EPA also proposes to eliminate all federal GHG emission standards for motor vehicles, a move the coalition called “unprecedented” and deeply harmful to:

• Public health: Existing standards are projected to prevent over 8 billion metric tons of GHG emissions over 30 years, avoiding $1.82 trillion in climate-related damages.

• The auto industry: Federal standards drive innovation and efficiency, saving drivers billions in fuel and maintenance, while supporting domestic manufacturing and job creation.

• Government investments: Repealing the standards would undermine billions in federal, state, and local funding aimed at decarbonizing the transportation sector.

Additional Legal Actions Taken

AG Platkin and the coalition also:

• Filed a separate comment letter on Sept. 2 opposing the DOE’s Climate Working Group report, citing violations of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) and a lack of scientific credibility.

• Submitted an amicus brief on Aug. 29 in Environmental Defense Fund v. Wright, supporting a legal challenge to the CWG report and asserting that its use violates federal law.

• Testified before the EPA on Aug. 19, with AG Platkin personally opposing the rescission of both the Endangerment Finding and motor vehicle standards.

Alongside New Jersey, participating attorneys general include those from California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. Local governments include the cities of Chicago, New York, Oakland, and San Francisco; Martin Luther King Jr. County, WA; and the City and County of Denver and Santa Clara County, CA.

The multistate coalition is urging the EPA to withdraw its proposed rollback, which they contend is legally indefensible, scientifically unsupported, and dangerous to the health, safety, and economic security of the American people.

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