A coalition of 29 state attorneys general are using the text of the Trump administration’s National Climate Assessment to back their claims that two recent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rollbacks are out of step with reality.
The group, lead by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood, submitted the study Friday as part of their official comments opposing the Trump administration’s changes to the vehicle emissions standard and Clean Power Plan.
{mosads}They argued that the administration’s own study needs to be used as evidence that more must be done to cease greenhouse gas emissions.
The federal study, released in late November, warned of the dire economic effects of climate change on the U.S.
“The Trump Administration can’t turn a blind eye to climate change facts staring it right in the face,” Becerra said in a statement. “Its own National Climate Assessment is clear: It is time for the Trump Administration to bravely tackle climate change in the face of industry opposition. We can’t squander this opportunity to save our children and families from the overwhelming burden of climate change.”
While the comment period for the administration’s Safer Affordable Fuel Efficient vehicles rule (SAFE) closed already, the attorneys general said they plan to include the National Climate Assessment as a supplement to their October comments.
The groups argued in their new addition that it would be “unlawful” for the administration to move forward with its proposals, which would increase the amount of greenhouse gas emissions and be a direct rebuke to the federal study.
President Trump and EPA acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler have both questioned the claims laid out in the federal report. When asked about its findings, Trump told reporters earlier this month of the study, “I don’t believe it.”
Wheeler told reporters recently that he is still reading the findings and getting a read out by his policy team.