The Environmental Protection Agency’s Thursday decision to repeal a federal report from 2009 on greenhouse gas pollution has some in Michigan worried.
The report includes what’s known as the Endangerment Finding. Scientists concluded greenhouse gas pollution is threatening public health and safety.
The conclusion formed the basis for several federal environmental regulations, like emissions standards for automobiles and power plants.
Bentley Johnson, federal government affairs director for the Michigan League of Conservation Voters, said unchecked greenhouse gas pollution contributes to violent weather from climate change, and illnesses like asthma and heart disease, among other problems.
“Combined with the climate impacts you’re already seeing, with the wildfire smoke and bad air quality, getting rid of this authority could really lead to a cascading effect of lots of other standards being weakened and our air quality really going downhill fast,” Johnson said.
In Michigan, government officials have created their own policies aimed at protecting the environment. That includes water and clean energy standards, as well as air quality rules in response to the federal Clean Air Act.
In a written statement, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy raised doubts about the future of some of those rules going forward. The agency said the rescinding of the Endangerment Finding “significantly affects” the state’s power to manage greenhouse gas emissions.
“At this time, it is unclear what impact these federal changes may have on Michigan’s regulatory framework. Regardless, EGLE remains committed to protecting the environment and public health and will continue enforcing all applicable air quality rules and regulations,” the agency said.
Meanwhile, the state Attorney General’s office called the federal decision “legally flawed.” In a statement, Attorney General Dana Nessel accused the federal government of ignoring legal requirements to keep the air clean.
“By walking away from that duty, it is putting the physical safety and economic well-being of our communities and residents at very real risk,” Nessel said.
President Donald Trump has long wanted to do away with the Endangerment Finding, floating plans to do so last summer. In a press release, the Environmental Protection Agency said the deregulation would save Americans, in its estimate, $1.3 trillion, though the agency did not detail how it arrived at that figure, or what time period it covers.
“The Trump EPA is strictly following the letter of the law, returning commonsense to policy, delivering consumer choice to Americans and advancing the American Dream. As EPA Administrator, I am proud to deliver the single largest deregulatory action in U.S. history on behalf of American taxpayers and consumers. As an added bonus, the off-cycle credit for the almost universally despised start-stop feature on vehicles has been removed,” EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said in the release.
Some Republicans are celebrating the Trump administration’s decision.
State Representative David Prestin (R-Cedar River), a vice chair on the House Energy Committee, said rules based on the Endangerment Finding have caused more harm than good.
“The cost to our economy has been immense. It ushered in a completely different diesel fleet, cars, electricity, and everything got exponentially more expensive,” Prestin said.
He argued neither Michigan nor the United States accounted for enough global greenhouse gas emissions to justify strict regulations.
The Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research 2025 report found the U.S. is the second highest air polluter in the world, responsible for about 11% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and previous EPA analysis found economic benefits to restricting greenhouse gas emissions.
Prestin said it makes more sense for the state to diversify its energy portfolio, including a mix of fossil fuels and nuclear energy, rather than focus on carbon-neutral power sources.
Michigan energy officials have been pushing for more nuclear energy. And Johnson, with the League of Conservation Voters, argued renewable energy is more reliable than the import of fossil fuels.
He said dealing with climate-related emergencies costs more in the long run than complying with regulations.
