Abandoning Science-Based Policy Creates Risk for Businesses and Communities
WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, February 12, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) repeal of the 2009 Endangerment Finding took effect today, eliminating the agency’s legal authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions as pollutants harmful to public health and welfare. Business leaders warn this reversal undermines the regulatory certainty essential for long-term investment and economic planning, as well as abandons the EPA’s legal obligation to protect communities’ health and the environment.
“For the business community, the greatest threat isn’t a specific regulation, but the lack of regulatory certainty,” says Michael Green, ASBN Senior Advisor on Climate and Energy Policy. “Repealing a foundational scientific finding like this creates policy whiplash, forcing companies to abandon long-term capital investments and navigate a chaotic and unpredictable patchwork of state laws.”
The original Endangerment Finding was based on comprehensive scientific evidence demonstrating that greenhouse gas emissions endanger public health and welfare. Climate change – driven primarily by fossil fuels – is already causing measurable impacts on communities, infrastructure, and business operations nationwide. Clean energy alternatives have proven to be cost-competitive, reliable, and beneficial for energy security.
Regulatory instability forces businesses to make decisions in a vacuum of uncertainty, hampering strategic planning and capital allocation. Rather than “cutting red tape,” reducing costs, or improving economic conditions for American families, this repeal creates a fragmented regulatory landscape that increases compliance complexity and business risk. This decision puts businesses and the future of our communities and environment at great risk.
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About American Sustainable Business Network
American Sustainable Business Network (ASBN) amplifies the collective voice of sustainable business to lead the way to a regenerative economy that is stakeholder-driven, just, and prosperous. As a multi-issue, membership organization advocating on behalf of every business sector, size, and geography, ASBN works to advance its mission to inform, connect, and mobilize sustainable business leaders, transforming the public and private sectors toward a just and regenerative economy.
Anayana White
American Sustainable Business Network
anayana@asbnetwork.org
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