Senator Allen Criticizes EPA Repeal of Endangerment Finding

"We Will all be Paying the Price", says California lawmaker

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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Sen. Ben Allen, co-chair of the California Environmental Legislative Caucus, sharply criticized the Environmental Protection Agency's decision to repeal the 2009 endangerment finding that classified greenhouse gases as pollutants endangering public health. Allen warned the move will put communities at greater risk from climate disasters and lead to rising insurance premiums, utility rates, and strain on public infrastructure.

Why it matters

The endangerment finding has been the legal basis for the federal government to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act for nearly two decades. Repealing it removes a key tool for addressing climate change at the national level, even as California continues its own climate policies.

The details

The Trump administration announced the repeal on Thursday, calling the 2009 finding a 'disastrous Obama-era policy' with 'no basis in fact or law.' The action reverses a determination that has underpinned vehicle emissions standards, power plant rules and other climate regulations.

  • The EPA announced the repeal of the endangerment finding on Thursday, February 13, 2026.
  • The 2009 endangerment finding followed a 2007 Supreme Court ruling that the EPA must regulate greenhouse gases if they endanger public health or welfare.

The players

Sen. Ben Allen

A Democratic state senator from Santa Monica, California and co-chair of the California Environmental Legislative Caucus.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

The federal agency responsible for protecting human health and the environment, which has now repealed the 2009 endangerment finding on greenhouse gases.

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What they’re saying

“Today, the Trump Administration once again prioritized corporate megadonors at the expense of the American public. The US EPA's decision to ignore fact-based science, as well as the federal Clean Air Act's mandate to protect the public from air pollutants that include greenhouse gases, will put more of our communities at risk to the catastrophic climate disasters we are already seeing play out.”

— Sen. Ben Allen, Co-chair, California Environmental Legislative Caucus (smmirror.com)

“Don't be mistaken – we will all be paying the price of this decision if it stands. Our insurance premiums and utility rates are already rising in the face of greater climate risk, and our public infrastructure and public health systems will face increasingly significant challenges.”

— Sen. Ben Allen, Co-chair, California Environmental Legislative Caucus (smmirror.com)

What’s next

The repeal of the endangerment finding is expected to face legal challenges from environmental groups and states.

The takeaway

This decision by the Trump administration to repeal the EPA's endangerment finding on greenhouse gases represents a major setback in federal efforts to address climate change, even as California and other states continue to pursue their own climate policies based on scientific evidence.