Faith in Place Denounces EPA’s Final Rule on Endangerment Finding as a Moral Failing

CHICAGO, IL — Today, the EPA issued a final rule rescinding the 2009 Endangerment Finding. The decision effectively ends federal authority to regulate the emissions fueling the climate crisis.

This ruling is beyond irresponsible. It is outright dangerous and unjust. It denies science, undermines public health, and knowingly sacrifices vulnerable communities to protect polluters’ profits. Despite false claims of economic or regulatory benefit, the real cost of this decision will be borne by our children, elders, frontline communities, and future generations.

Rev. Brian Sauder, Executive Director of Faith in Place, issued the following statement:

"The issuance of this final rule marks a dark milestone for the Midwest and for our nation. With the stroke of a pen, the EPA has chosen to ignore science, silence communities, and dismantle one of the most important legal protections we have against climate harm. At Faith in Place, we see this for what it is: a moral failure.

To claim that greenhouse gases do not endanger human life is to deny the floods, heatwaves, and respiratory illnesses already ravaging our region. It is to deny the lived experience of families breathing polluted air, farmers facing climate instability, and neighborhoods repeatedly left to recover alone.

Our diverse faith traditions teach that breath is sacred. In Hebrew, ruach means spirit, wind, breath. What is at stake here is not an abstract policy debate—it is life itself. We will continue to organize, advocate, and build power until every community can breathe freely and live with dignity.”

Anticipated Impact:

With this rollback, there will be significant and lasting impacts on communities throughout the U.S., including:

• 184,000 premature deaths

• 112 million asthma attacks

• 280,000 hospital and ER visits

• 40 million missed school and workdays

• $4.3 trillion in net costs to health, property, fuel, and other climate costs.

What can you do?

We may have lost this ruling, but we have not lost the fight. The courts will have more to say and together, we will keep up the pressure. One of the most devastating aspects of this decision is that, given its technical nature, many people will not learn about it, or understand just how damaging this is. Speaking up clearly, publicly, and persistently with our faith voices matters more than ever. Please share this statement with your networks to help build a broad understanding of the threat to all of us. Our fight continues, and we need as many people as possible to know that it is happening.If you would like to post this to your social media channels, you can download a graphic here.