SANTA FE, New Mexico — The head of New Mexico’s environment agency on Thursday denounced the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) repeal of its 2009 “endangerment finding.” He called the move a major setback for climate policy and collective efforts to protect public health.
In a statement, New Mexico Environment Department Secretary James Kenney said the decision erased decades of science-based policy that served as the backbone of federal climate regulations.
“Today, the federal government destroyed decades of established policies grounded in hard science recognized by the American and global scientific community,” Kenney said.
The endangerment finding, adopted in 2009, concluded that greenhouse gas emissions threaten public health and welfare. It became the legal basis for a broad range of federal rules with the aim to rollback emissions and address climate change.
Kenney does not believe that repealing the policy would lower costs as argued by the Trump administration.
The Trump administration described the repeal of the 2009 endangerment finding as a way to reduce regulatory costs, make vehicles cheaper for the consumers, and save about $1.3 trillion in regulatory burden. White House officials used these points to justify the repeal.
But Kenney disagreed, saying it will discourage domestic investment and slow down technological innovation.
Households could face higher insurance premiums, healthcare costs, and disaster recovery due to the impacts of a warming climate, he warned.
Despite EPA’s decision, Kenney said New Mexico would be pursuing its own climate agenda.
He said the state, under the administration of Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, has demonstrated that economic growth and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions can go hand in hand.
He added that the Grisham administration will continue to innovate around climate solutions for the good of the people and economy.