Welcome back to the Quiet Please podcast, bringing you today’s biggest environmental news with real-world impact. The spotlight this week is on a sweeping move from the Environmental Protection Agency: EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has unveiled a proposal to end the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program, a regulatory overhaul touted as one of the largest deregulatory actions in agency history. The move, announced from Washington, is expected to save businesses up to 2.4 billion dollars in compliance costs. Administrator Zeldin argues that the current greenhouse gas reporting requirements “do nothing to improve air quality” and instead bog businesses down in unnecessary bureaucracy. This proposal would lift reporting obligations from over 8,000 facilities and suppliers nationwide, except for certain petroleum and natural gas systems that will remain subject to the methane waste emissions charge beginning in 2034.

There’s another major shift in the pipeline. The EPA is advancing the repeal of pivotal greenhouse gas emission standards for fossil fuel power plants and vehicles. The agency has started reconsidering the 2009 Endangerment Finding—the legal foundation that established greenhouse gases as a public health threat. If rescinded, the legal basis for everything from fuel efficiency standards to power plant pollution limits could vanish overnight. Critics, like environmental groups and many state governments, warn that this will cripple the nation’s fight against climate change. They point out that transportation is responsible for 29 percent of US greenhouse gas emissions, and historic fuel efficiency standards have kept both emissions and consumer costs in check.

Meanwhile, the EPA just allocated hydrofluorocarbon allowances for 2026, continuing the phase-down of these potent greenhouse gases under the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act. Even as other climate rules are reconsidered, this HFC phasedown sticks to the international timeline set by the Kigali Amendment, keeping the US mostly in step with global commitments.

How do these changes ripple out? For American citizens, especially those in communities near industrial hubs or fossil fuel plants, public health protections could weaken, leaving air quality oversight to state officials or even industry self-reporting—a method recently criticized by reporting from ProPublica for missing major emissions violations. For businesses, costs will drop for compliance and reporting, but companies dedicated to clean energy may now face an uneven playing field. State and local governments may need to fill regulatory gaps, potentially driving up their own environmental monitoring expenses. Internationally, allies eyeing robust US leadership on climate could see these rollbacks as America stepping back from its global commitments.

Industry advocates argue these steps will unleash economic growth and energy development. Environmental groups, public health experts, and many economists warn of long-term risks to health, climate, and innovation. Legal experts are bracing for courtroom battles; if the Endangerment Finding is rescinded, expect swift challenges arguing the EPA is abdicating its core mission.

The public comment period for the greenhouse gas reporting rollback is opening soon. EPA will post details on its website and in the Federal Register, and this is a key chance for citizens, scientists, and businesses to weigh in. Listeners can learn more and submit feedback by visiting epa.gov, where detailed fact sheets and instruction guides are available. Upcoming public meetings on hydrofluorocarbon management and AIM Act implementation are also scheduled, so keep an eye on the EPA’s events page.

As these monumental changes unfold, we’ll keep you updated on court decisions, state responses, and the ripple effects across the economy. For more information—and to let your voice be heard—visit the EPA’s online...

The biggest news from the Environmental Protection Agency this week is its sweeping move to rescind the Obama-era Endangerment Finding, the foundational legal basis that allowed the EPA to regulate greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide as threats to public health. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin called it “the most significant deregulatory action in agency history,” marking a decisive turn in U.S. climate policy—one with immediate and long-term effects for industries, states, and every American household.

This proposed repeal, announced August 1 and now open for public comment, would eliminate greenhouse gas emission standards for nearly all vehicles and fossil fuel power plants. The Endangerment Finding, established in 2009, enabled tougher standards for cars and power plants and aimed to cut emissions in sectors that together account for over half of U.S. greenhouse emissions according to agency data. Supporters, such as the current Department of Energy leadership, suggest regulations based on outdated science should be re-examined, arguing this will ease compliance for manufacturing and energy and potentially lower prices for businesses and consumers. However, environmental groups and many public health experts warn that undoing the rule could severely weaken America’s ability to combat climate change and safeguard air quality.

For Americans, this could affect air pollution levels and public health outcomes, especially in urban and industrial regions. The rollback may slow the transition to cleaner vehicles, with industry advocates noting fuel efficiency rules helped raise average fleet mileage from 23.4 to nearly 40 miles per gallon since 2010. Businesses in fossil fuel production and energy foresee fewer regulatory obstacles, though automakers worry about sinking investments in newer, cleaner technologies. State and local governments—especially those in California and the Northeast—are bracing for legal fights, potentially revisiting their own rules or pursuing independent emission standards.

The EPA also released a new Residential Lead Directive, setting fresh national soil benchmarks and speeding up Superfund site cleanups. This means faster remediation for hazardous waste communities, with the EPA promising streamlined processes and stronger oversight.

Looking ahead, Administrator Zeldin emphasized that, “We are opening the door for innovation and domestic energy ambitions, letting American industry lead once again.” The Department of Energy’s new report questioning the link between greenhouse gases and climate change is open for public comment until August 31, offering a rare chance for citizens, scientists, and businesses to weigh in on the heart of EPA’s authority.

Listeners, you can engage directly by submitting feedback through the EPA’s online portal—your perspectives will help shape these major policy shifts. Public hearings are slated for late September and final decisions could arrive before the end of the year. For more, visit the EPA’s newsroom and check government platforms for updates.

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The biggest headline from the Environmental Protection Agency this week is the proposal to rescind the federal mandatory greenhouse gas reporting rule and a sweeping move to roll back Obama and Biden-era limits on emissions from fossil fuel power plants and vehicles. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin described it as “the most significant day of deregulation in U.S. history,” as the agency takes steps affecting air quality, water protections, and climate change rules nationwide.

Let’s break down the key developments. First, on climate: The EPA is moving to repeal the 2015 New Source Performance Standards and the 2024 Carbon Pollution Standards for both new and existing fossil fuel power plants. The agency argues these standards placed undue economic and operational burdens on energy producers, and supporters claim repealing them will lower energy costs and improve grid reliability. Critics, however, warn that the changes risk increasing pollution and undermining long-term efforts to fight climate change since the power sector contributes about a quarter of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. The EPA also proposed rolling back the Endangerment Finding, which has been the legal basis for regulating greenhouse gases since 2009. If finalized, this would end federal GHG standards for vehicles and call into question future emissions regulation. The move has triggered immediate legal challenges, with environmental groups warning it could unravel over a decade of climate policy and, as one environmental law expert said this week, “gut the federal government’s ability to address climate risks.”

On chemicals, EPA is amending rules around PFAS—so-called “forever chemicals.” The agency is keeping drinking water standards for PFOA and PFOS, the two most studied chemicals, but is withdrawing standards on several related PFAS compounds and giving water systems more time to comply. Health groups worry this leaves some communities vulnerable, especially since EPA’s own scientists link exposure to PFAS to a range of serious health issues. However, the agency cites the need to focus compliance resources and cut red tape, especially for small water systems.

Administrative changes are also in the spotlight. Furloughs are impacting about 40% of EPA employees in New England amid the ongoing government funding impasse, potentially delaying cleanups and enforcement actions. Nationally, the Trump administration’s deregulatory push is focused on revisiting over thirty existing environmental rules, from defining “waters of the United States” under the Clean Water Act to air toxins standards and hazardous waste disposal.

Businesses, mainly in the energy and manufacturing sectors, are likely to see reduced costs and fewer barriers to project development. State and local governments, however, may need to decide whether to keep stricter rules at the state level or follow the new federal lead. For American citizens, the impact could mean changes in air and water quality standards in their communities, so paying attention to these rule changes is critical. Internationally, these shifts send a clear signal that U.S. environmental policy is pivoting away from some of its recent climate commitments, which may complicate collaboration with other countries on climate agreements.

Looking ahead, EPA will finalize many of these proposals over the coming months, and public comment periods are open for several rules—meaning listeners can voice their opinions at regulations.gov. Key deadlines to watch include the April 2026 target for drinking water compliance and a likely rush of court challenges over vehicle emissions and air pollution rules.

For more details on these developments and how to get engaged, visit epa.gov or check out your state’s environmental agency website. Thanks for tuning in, stay informed, and don’t forget to subscribe for more environmental news that truly matters. This has been a Quiet...