Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell announced on Mar. 19 that she is leading a coalition of 24 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and 12 cities and counties in a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The group is challenging what they call the EPA’s unlawful attempt to rescind its 2009 Endangerment Finding, which determined that greenhouse gas pollution from motor vehicles drives climate change and endangers public health.
The issue centers on the federal government’s responsibility to regulate emissions that impact public welfare. Supporters say rescinding this determination would eliminate standards that have reduced motor vehicle greenhouse gas emissions and could worsen environmental threats.
“Climate change is real, and it’s already affecting our residents and our economy,” said Campbell. “When the federal government abandons the law and the science, everyday people suffer the consequences. As a mom, I want my boys – and every child in our state – to grow up breathing clean air and playing safely outdoors.” She added that Massachusetts has long led efforts to protect communities from greenhouse gases.
The lawsuit argues that EPA’s move disregards legal precedent set by Massachusetts v. EPA in 2007 as well as scientific evidence supporting regulation under the Clean Air Act. According to AG Campbell’s office, rising temperatures are already straining infrastructure across Massachusetts; increased extreme heat days may lead to hundreds more heat-related deaths annually by century’s end if emissions are not curbed. Coastal communities face heightened flood risks with potential losses reaching millions of dollars per year for both commercial structures and state-owned property.
Statements supporting AG Campbell came from Governor Maura Healey—who said rolling back protections would increase costs for homeowners—and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu: “Attempting to erase scientific consensus on greenhouse gas pollution puts our communities at risk.” Medical professionals like Dr. Anna Goldman also warned about health impacts such as increased hospitalizations during heat waves or asthma attacks triggered by poor air quality.
Other organizations including GreenRoots, Conservation Law Foundation, Environmental League of Massachusetts, Charles River Watershed Association, Mystic River Watershed Association, Mothers Out Front, Earthjustice, and Environmental Defense Fund expressed support for legal action against what they see as an abandonment of environmental protections.
Campbell co-led this suit with attorneys general from California, Connecticut, New York among others; it includes multiple states’ attorneys general as well as city leaders nationwide.
