In 2009, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the Obama administration declared six greenhouse gases threaten people's health: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride.
The EPA then used this finding to come up with emissions standards for vehicles, power plants, smokestacks and other sources as part of the Clean Air Act.
This week, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin under the Trump administration released the agency's proposal to end regulation of climate pollution and rescind the Endangerment Finding.
Dory Larsen, senior electric transportation program manager with the climate advocacy group Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, said rolling back these protections would mean climate pollution would get worse in Florida — and so would the consequences.
"We're seeing dangerous storms. We're seeing rapid heating of the air and water temperatures, and those are caused because we are increasing gases into the atmosphere," Larsen said.
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Those standards, Larsen said, are necessary to prevent global warming and stronger hurricanes that come with it.
Larsen lives in Tarpon Springs, and so do her parents.
During Hurricane Helene in September, her parents had to swim out of a window to safety.
"The sad reality is that a lot of people in the Tampa area don't have that ability to evacuate," Larsen said. "So, we're creating policy that will entrap people, and at the same time, we're cutting resources from other parts of the federal government, like NOAA and FEMA, that would warn us that these storms are coming and then be able to respond in the aftermath."
Larsen is referencing recent proposed federal budget cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which provides critical storm data, and cuts to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which provides disaster recovery support for state and local governments.
In a press release, the EPA said the proposal to roll back the climate finding and pollution standards is meant to undo $1 trillion in costly regulations.
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"Since the 2009 Endangerment Finding was issued, many have stated that the American people and auto manufacturing have suffered from significant uncertainties and massive costs related to general regulations of greenhouse gases from vehicles and trucks," the release said.
"Finally, EPA is proposing to provide much needed certainty and regulatory relief, so companies can plan appropriately, and the American people can have affordable choices when deciding to buy a car."
Larsen said market economics favor clean energy generation.
"So, like renewable energy, battery storage … it's more available and it's cheaper. In the past 15 years, the cost of battery storage has gone down 90% so, you know, solar is cheaper, offshore wind is cheaper," Larsen said.
"It's not just the fact that we shouldn't be allowing fossil fuel industry to do this. It's that there [are] better solutions right now."
A public hearing will be held on the topic in August, while the EPA is accepting public comment through Sept. 21.
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