Health and Environmental Groups Sue EPA Over Endangerment Finding Repeal

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A coalition of health and environmental organizations has filed a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and its administrator, Lee Zeldin, over the agency's recent repeal of the 2009 Endangerment Finding. The Endangerment Finding gave the EPA the authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from various sources, including vehicles and power plants. The lawsuit argues that the EPA is legally required to limit emissions of any air pollutant that may endanger public health or welfare.

Why it matters

The Endangerment Finding was a key legal foundation for the EPA's ability to address climate change through regulations. The Trump administration's repeal of this finding could significantly undermine the federal government's efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the impacts of climate change, which pose serious threats to public health and the environment.

The details

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and is being brought by a coalition of organizations, including the American Public Health Association, the American Lung Association, the Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice, Physicians for Social Responsibility, the Union of Concerned Scientists, the Center for Biological Diversity, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Sierra Club. The litigants argue that the EPA is legally required to limit emissions of any air pollutant that may endanger public health or welfare, as per the Clean Air Act.

• On February 12, 2026, President Donald Trump and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the repeal of the 2009 Endangerment Finding.
• Less than a week after the repeal, the coalition of health and environmental organizations filed the lawsuit against the EPA and Zeldin.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The case will be heard in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, where the coalition of health and environmental organizations will argue that the EPA is legally required to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act.