U.S. Reversal on Key Climate Finding Spells Uncertainty for Business

Environmental attorney Zach Pilchen was quoted in a Reuters article examining the potential ramifications of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposal to revoke its landmark greenhouse gas endangerment finding. The article discussed that this proposal would represent a substantial shift in the regulatory landscape that companies have operated under for years, raising questions about implementation timelines and adaptation strategies for affected industries. Mr. Pilchen observed that, from a legal standpoint, repealing the endangerment finding could raise questions about the ability of states to seek damages for harms caused by prior greenhouse gas emissions.
 
"Taking out the endangerment could have ramifications not just for federal regulations but questions of state authorities in areas that were previously considered precluded by these federal regulations," he said. "In that sense, it could inject a lot more uncertainty for companies."

READ: U.S. Reversal on Key Climate Finding Spells Uncertainty for Business