Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman’s letter to the EPA disputes the scientific consensus on climate change, arguing that greenhouse gas emissions provide "net benefits" for millions of Americans.The 88-page letter, submitted on Sept.22, urges the Trump administration to overturn the Obama-era endangerment finding, which links emissions to public health risks.Coleman called the finding "unlawful and scientifically unproven," framing it as part of a "nonsensical green agenda" that harms Kentucky’s economy.
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courier-journal.comThe letter claims climate models overstate the harm of emissions, labeling reliance on these scenarios "scientific malpractice." This contradicts the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, which recently affirmed that "evidence for current and future harm to human health from human-caused greenhouse gases is beyond scientific dispute".
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courier-journal.comThe letter also dismissed the role of extreme weather in Kentucky, despite the state experiencing two major floods in 2024 that killed over 20 residents.World Weather Attribution linked the April deluge to climate change, though Coleman’s office declined to comment on the science or Kentucky’s disaster risks.
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courier-journal.comColeman’s stance aligns with a broader GOP effort to roll back climate regulations.Over 20 states, including West Virginia and Kentucky, joined the letter to the EPA, arguing the 2009 endangerment finding lacks a "shaky scientific foundation." However, the National Academies emphasized that "improved observations confirm unequivocally" emissions are warming Earth’s surface and intensifying extreme weather, including heatwaves, wildfires, and heavy rainfall.
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courier-journal.comThese trends pose public health risks, such as heat-related illnesses and air pollution from wildfires, which the letter ignores.
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courier-journal.comThe letter also cites record US crop yields as evidence of emissions’ benefits, but scientists warn that increased carbon dioxide levels may be offset by heat stress, droughts, and extreme weather.The National Academies noted that "climate-driven changes in temperature and precipitation" are already harming agricultural production, even as technology boosts output.
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courier-journal.comMeanwhile, Kentucky’s state climatologist acknowledged long-term precipitation increases since 1895, though some extreme weather events, like tornadoes, remain poorly understood in climate models.
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courier-journal.comColeman’s letter has drawn criticism for relying on contrarian sources.A recent Department of Energy report, which challenged climate science, was widely condemned for containing over 100 false claims.In contrast, the UN’s latest climate assessment involved over 700 scientists, highlighting the disparity in credibility between the two studies.
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courier-journal.comThe Trump administration’s reversal on climate policy has already impacted Kentucky, with fossil fuel plants accounting for 90% of electricity generation and FEMA cutting disaster funding for infrastructure projects.
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courier-journal.comThe letter’s economic arguments face scrutiny too.While some crops benefit from higher CO2 levels, the GAO report on biofuels found that ethanol production has contributed to rising food prices and water quality issues.Farmers transitioning to cellulosic biofuels face risks, and the US is nearing its ethanol "blend wall," which limits how much fuel can be mixed with gasoline.
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gao.govThese challenges underscore the complexity of balancing climate action with economic interests, a debate Coleman claims is being suppressed by "green agenda" policies.
Environmental experts have condemned the letter as a misrepresentation of climate science.Gabriel Filippelli, a climate scientist, noted that while balancing emissions reduction with economic vitality is valid, the letter avoids this debate by dismissing settled science.
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courier-journal.comKentucky’s Republican-led legislature, however, acknowledged the state’s increased risk of natural disasters, including flooding and tornadoes, in a 2024 Senate resolution.
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courier-journal.comThe letter’s claims also ignore the economic costs of inaction.The Trump administration’s rollback of clean energy policies has hindered Kentucky’s electric vehicle industry and decarbonization projects, while fossil fuel plants remain dominant.Critics argue that the letter prioritizes short-term energy affordability over long-term climate resilience, despite the state’s recent climate-related disasters.
Coleman’s letter reflects a growing political push to downplay climate risks, even as scientific evidence and local impacts mount.The National Academies’ findings and Kentucky’s own weather patterns contradict the letter’s assertions, highlighting the tension between policy and science.As the EPA considers revising its regulations, the debate over emissions’ impacts will remain central to both environmental and economic policy discussions in the US.
