McClellan Leads Virginia Delegation Letter Urging Administrator Zeldin to Maintain EPA’s Landmark Pollution Protections

Washington, D.C. - Today, Representative Jennifer McClellan (VA-04)led 7 Members of the Virginia delegation - including U.S. Senators Mark Warner (D-VA)and Tim Kaine (D-VA),and Representatives Bobby Scott (VA-03), Don Beyer (VA-08), Eugene Vindman (VA-07), Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10) and James Walkinshaw (VA-11)- in sending a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin urging the EPA to maintain its landmark Endangerment Finding to protect the health and welfare of communities.

"We are deeply concerned about the recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposal to eliminate the 2009 Endangerment Finding and what that will mean for the health and safety of our constituents in Virginia," wrote the Members."The Endangerment Finding requires the EPA to protect people from the pollution that causes climate change. Denying the danger of climate change cannot change the facts. Pollution from fossil fuels heats our planet, makes extreme weather disasters more severe, and harms us all-especially the most vulnerable."

Extreme weather events impacting Virginia have increased in frequency and cost billions of dollars. In 2024 alone, Virginia experienced 10 extreme weather eventsthat caused $1 billion or more in damage. Hurricane Helene caused immense damage, devastating many farms and was estimated to have caused almost $160 million in agricultural damage.

"By eliminating the Endangerment Finding, the Trump Administration aims to undermine other protections against climate pollution: clean car and truck standards, power plant rules, oil and gas rules, landfill rules, and more," the Members continued."It means giving polluters a free pass to pollute at the expense of families across the country. It means our constituents will face more climate chaos and more pollution, especially in communities already overburdened by pollution, health harms, and higher costs."

EPA's Endangerment Finding underpins the agency's authority to regulate greenhouse gas pollutants under the Clean Air Act. In addition to EPA's proposal to rescind the 2009 Endangerment Finding, EPA simultaneously announced the elimination of all pollution standards for light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicles. EPA's vehicle pollution standards are a critical tool to stop climate change and avoid the worst impacts to human health and the U.S. economy.

"We urge the EPA to maintain the Endangerment Finding and protect the health and welfare of Virginians and communities across the country," the Members concluded.

Read the full letter here.