BATON ROUGE, La. — Louisiana State Treasurer John Fleming joined 12 other state financial officers and researchers from the American Institute for Economic Research in supporting a proposal to rescind the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2009 Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding and related vehicle emission standards.
The coalition, representing members of the State Financial Officers Foundation, submitted a formal letter to the EPA arguing that the 2009 finding led to excessive federal regulation, higher costs for consumers, and constraints on economic freedom. The finding gave the EPA authority to regulate carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act.
“The Endangerment Finding triggered a wave of regulatory expansion without sufficient congressional oversight,” the letter stated. “It has imposed significant costs on consumers and manufacturers while failing to demonstrate meaningful environmental benefits.”
The group outlined several objections, including increased production costs and consumer prices, loss of manufacturing competitiveness, and what they described as federal overreach. They also argued that the rule undermined state authority and limited market-based innovation in the energy sector.
Their position aligns with recent Supreme Court decisions, including West Virginia v. EPA and Loper Bright v. Raimondo, which restricted agency powers and emphasized the need for explicit congressional approval in major regulatory actions.
“Revoking the 2009 Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding will be a constructive move toward restoring a more balanced federal approach,” Fleming said. “This shift will empower states to lead with innovative, tailored solutions to energy and climate challenges, fostering healthy competition among state governments and returning federal policy to its rightful, limited role.”