SACRAMENTO – Senator Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica), co-chair of the Environmental Legislative Caucus, bashed the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to repeal the Endangerment Finding that has protected Americans from dirty pollution since 2009.

“Today, the Trump Administration once again prioritized corporate megadonors at the expense of the American public. The US EPA’s decision to ignore fact-based science, as well as the federal Clean Air Act’s mandate to protect the public from air pollutants that include greenhouse gases, will put more of our communities at risk to the catastrophic climate disasters we are already seeing play out.

“Don’t be mistaken – we will all be paying the price of this decision if it stands. Our insurance premiums and utility rates are already rising in the face of greater climate risk, and our public infrastructure and public health systems will face increasingly significant challenges.

“California remains committed to protecting the health and safety of our residents through climate policy that is guided by scientific evidence. While the federal government abandons this essential responsibility, we will continue utilizing every ounce of authority we have to best provide clean and healthy air, water, and land for Californians. Any step back from this commitment compromises public trust and deserves the utmost public scrutiny.”