The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rescinded the 2009 Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding in February, which had established the legal basis for regulating greenhouse gas emissions from new motor vehicles under the Clean Air Act. The agency also repealed all related emissions standards for light-, medium- and heavy-duty highway vehicles and engines. The EPA described the move as the largest deregulatory action in U.S. history, projecting more than $1.3 trillion in savings.

 

The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) is strongly condemning the EPA's decision, calling the action a rejection of decades of peer-reviewed climate science and a threat to public welfare.

In a formal statement, the ASLA warned that eliminating the finding removes the legal foundation for regulating greenhouse gas pollution. "Rolling back this framework does not eliminate climate risk; it shifts the financial and physical burden onto communities, project owners, and design professionals," the organization stated. ASLA emphasized that landscape architects are legally and ethically bound to protect public health, safety and welfare - a responsibility that depends on federal policy grounded in rigorous, evidence-based data.

The organization cautioned that without a stable regulatory baseline, its members will face growing challenges managing extreme heat, flooding and wildfire risks in public and private projects nationwide.
https://www.asla.org/news-insights/press-releases/asla-oppose-rollback-of-endangerment-finding