US Agency Drops Climate Rule, Sparking Debate

The United States agency that once focused on air quality has just removed a rule that said greenhouse gases endanger people. The decision was announced last month by the new administration. It marked a big change in how the country will handle climate issues. The agency’s leader said that the rule was a “religion” and that it had forced people to follow expensive policies. He claimed the rule hurt business choices. He called the move a major deregulatory step. What was left out of the speech was any mention of protecting health or clean air. The rule had been based on science that shows rising temperatures cause more heat waves, wildfires and floods. Those events hurt health and cost money for insurance and repairs. Two former leaders of the agency spoke out. One said it was shocking that an agency created by a Republican president now seemed to attack the environment. The other said the agency was spending time in court for the fossil‑fuel industry instead of protecting people from pollution.The new rule was a sign that the country is moving away from global climate agreements. The United States left the Paris deal and did not attend a recent international meeting where almost 200 countries met. The U. S. is the only major nation still pushing fossil fuels, while China and Europe are investing in clean energy. The agency’s new stance has critics saying it ignores the facts of climate science. The physics behind warming is clear and not a matter of opinion. Scientists say that burning fossil fuels is the main cause of global warming. The administration hopes a conservative court will reverse a 2007 decision that let the agency regulate greenhouse gases. The hope is to stop the agency from protecting air quality and health. The debate continues about whether the country should keep or drop rules that limit greenhouse gases. Many people worry that not acting will increase health problems and damage the economy.