EASTON, Pa. – Easton Mayor Sal Panto said the city has seen the impact of climate change.
“Climate change, people see it; intense storms, flooding. We’re on two rivers and we in 2004, 2005, and 2006, we had tremendous floods. We lost a lot of property,” said Mayor Panto.
Rollbacks of truck pollution standards and the possible elimination of Endangerment Finding are two of the things he and other speakers at a news conference said they are concerned about.
Endangerment Finding is an Obama-era policy that determines carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare.
The Trump administration plans to formalize the recission of it on Thursday.
“This will be the largest deregulatory action in American history and it will save the American people $1.3 trillion in crushing regulations,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Alliance of Nurses for a Healthy Environment registered nurse Mary Ellen O’Connell said the Lehigh Valley already sees a lot of health issues stemming from pollution.
“Healthcare providers, hospitals, emergency departments, we’re deeply concerned about the rates of asthma and cardiovascular disease in our community,” said O’Connell.
The Trump administration said getting rid of Endangerment Finding is a way of making life more affordable.
The White House said it will drive economic growth.
“The bulk of the savings will stem from reduced cost for new vehicles with the EPA projecting average per vehicle savings of more than $2,400,” said Leavitt
Mayor Panto said truck pollution is a reason he is against more warehouses.
He and other speakers are urging the use of electric vehicles, but they said it is still going to take the federal government to work with them.
“Climate change poses a unique and growing threat to lives, public health and jobs in every city, every state and around the world,” said Panto.