PITTSBURGH, PA – SEPTEMBER 24, 2025 — Congresswoman Summer L. Lee (PA-12) led the Democratic Pennsylvania congressional delegation in calling on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin to withdraw his proposal to repeal the 2009 Endangerment Finding, the science-based determination that obligates the EPA to regulate climate pollution. Eliminating the Endangerment Finding would effectively undermine the foundation of federal climate policy, leave Pennsylvania communities exposed to more pollution, more extreme weather, and increasing public health risks.

 In the letter to Administrator Zeldin, the members expressed their strong opposition to eliminating the Endangerment Finding, stating it would strip away critical protections and expose constituents to escalating climate hazards that are already devastating Pennsylvania communities.

“The Endangerment Finding is the cornerstone of federal climate action, serving as the EPA's science-based determination that greenhouse gas pollution threatens public health and welfare. Repealing it will not change that reality,” the members wrote. “The overwhelming scientific evidence remains unchanged: greenhouse gas pollution is warming our planet, intensifying extreme weather events, and imposing escalating costs on families, workers, and communities nationwide.”

The delegation highlighted Pennsylvania's vulnerable position as a state that has already experienced devastating climate impacts. According to recent data, Pennsylvania has seen the largest increase in rainfall in the nation since the 1950s, leading to frequent and costly flooding. In 2024 alone, the state endured 12 extreme weather events, resulting in nearly $37 billion in losses. These events caused widespread destruction, killing hundreds of people and leaving disproportionately affected communities with limited resources to recover.

“Pennsylvanians are already feeling the effects of climate change through more frequent and severe extreme weather. These are not distant projections but present realities affecting our constituents from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, from rural farming communities to urban neighborhoods,” the members wrote. “We urge you to maintain the Endangerment Finding and uphold EPA's fundamental responsibility to protect communities in Pennsylvania and across the country from the documented harms of climate change.”

The letter is signed by Representatives Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-07), Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Brendan Boyle (PA-02), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), and Senator John Fetterman (D-PA). The letter is also endorsed by the Climate Action Campaign.

 A copy of the letter can be found here.