September 23, 2025
Ohio Environmental Council Calls on U.S. EPA to Uphold the 2009 Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding
For Immediate Release:
September 23, 2025
Contact:
Karlena Wallace, Communications Director
media@theoec.org 614-487-7506
Ohio Environmental Council Calls on U.S. EPA to Uphold the 2009 Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding
Columbus, Ohio — On September 22, 2025, the Ohio Environmental Council submitted technical comments to the U.S. EPA regarding its proposed rescission of its 2009 Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding. The OEC and numerous other commenters argue that the U.S. EPA’s proposed rescission relies on flawed science and erroneous legal reasoning.
In particular, the U.S. EPA claims greenhouse gas emissions do not impact people at the state and local level. But Ohioans across the state witness climate change firsthand every day. Ohioans feel climate change through:
- Increased extreme weather events, including a record-breaking tornado season in 2024 and exceptional droughts and once-in-a-lifetime floods
- Disruptions to Lake Erie’s ice cover
- Serious health risks from increased temperatures—Columbus, for instance, is warming more quickly on average than the rest of the United States
In addition to these state-specific comments, the OEC also joined the comments of the Environmental Law & Policy Center.
The following quote can be attributed, in whole or in part, to Chris Tavenor, General Counsel for the Ohio Environmental Council:
“The law is on the side of climate action—the U.S. EPA must uphold the 2009 Endangerment Finding and protect Ohioans from the causes of climate change. The Endangerment Finding is ultimately a scientific conclusion, not a regulatory policy. The U.S. EPA should be making its regulations based on the science, not on the interests of corporations who benefit from the deregulation of dirty fuels like coal, oil, and gas.”
The following quote can be attributed, in whole or in part, to Mark Navarre, contributing author to the comment and former State of Ohio attorney:
“Climate change is real. Extreme weather harms everyone. The scientific consensus is irrefutable and overwhelming. Trust the science. Trust Aaron Wilson and the Ohio State University’s State Climate Office. Climate denial should not be the official policy of our federal government.”
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The Ohio Environmental Council (OEC) protects the environment and health of all Ohio communities through legal and policy advocacy, decision-maker accountability, and civic engagement.
