In a move that’s sparking serious environmental concerns, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Trump administration is preparing to drastically reduce the collection of greenhouse gas emissions data from industrial facilities.
The planned rollback would cut the number of reporting facilities from about 8,000 down to just 2,300, with most of the remaining facilities being in the oil and gas industries.
WHAT’S CHANGING?
This shift would primarily impact the EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program, which tracks emissions from a wide range of sectors. Under the new plan, only a fraction of facilities would be required to report their emissions, which critics argue could severely weaken the country’s ability to monitor climate-related data.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has defended the decision, calling the program “burdensome” to small businesses, and referencing Project 2025—a far-right policy roadmap that includes scaling back environmental oversight.
WHY CRITICS ARE SOUNDING THE ALARM
Environmental experts, climate advocates, and several policymakers are calling the move short-sighted and dangerous. By reducing emissions reporting:
- The U.S. risks losing credibility in global climate discussions.
- Policymakers and scientists would have less accurate data to work with.
- Industrial polluters could operate with far less public accountability.
One climate advocate compared the rollback to “unplugging the equipment that monitors the vital signs of a critically ill patient.”
Critics are also highlighting conflicts of interest—notably, political appointees Abigale Tardif and Aaron Szabo, who both helped shape this rollback, previously worked as lobbyists for the petroleum and chemical industries.
Tardif is reported to have directed EPA staff to draft a rule that would eliminate reporting requirements for 40 of the 41 industrial sectors currently included in the program.
BUSINESS AND CLIMATE IMPACTS
Interestingly, many businesses have supported the emissions reporting program, noting it helps them:
- Track progress on sustainability goals
- Create transparent reports for investors and consumers
- Meet international standards for environmental responsibility
Scaling the program back could make it harder for U.S. companies to compete in a global economy where climate accountability is becoming a business imperative.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
The EPA’s proposed rollback is expected to draw legal challenges, public backlash, and intensified scrutiny as it moves forward. With the 2024 election cycle heating up, the fight over environmental data may become a defining issue in the broader debate about America’s role in combating climate change.
As the story unfolds, one thing is clear: the battle over data is also a battle over accountability, transparency, and the future of U.S. climate policy.
More info here: https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-epa-greenhouse-gas-reporting-climate-crisis
