Post by Environmental Defense Fund

Every U.S. county is getting hotter, and Americans are already feeling the impacts. New EDF interactive maps and real-life stories reveal rising insurance premiums, growing disaster losses and increasing health risks nationwide, underscoring the need to defend core climate protections that drive clean solutions, cut pollution, lower costs and support jobs. The Trump Administration is moving to repeal clean vehicle standards and the Endangerment Finding, the legal basis for limiting climate pollution. New EDF analysis shows this will raise costs, increase health risks and drive more pollution as the West faces record heat, deepening drought and rising wildfire risk. EPA claims repealing vehicle standards would not harm Americans. EDF finds the opposite: Rolling back these protections could drive up to $500 billion in health damages, add $1.4 trillion in fuel costs and significantly increase climate pollution nationwide. In Houston, those costs are already adding up for residents like Faye Ku, who spent more than $2,000 to relocate after Hurricane Beryl damaged her apartment, recovered only $500 from FEMA and took on debt to cover the rest. In parts of Florida, homeowners are paying up to $1,500 more per year in insurance premiums as climate risks grow. Rolling back EPA’s Endangerment Finding and clean vehicle standards could add up to $1.4 trillion in fuel costs and up to $500 billion in health damages.