Letters: Illegal DOE report undergirds Trump's climate rule revocation

"The EPA used the DOE panel's report to rescind both the endangerment rule and vehicle emissions regulations. The media should report on this perfidy of both the DOE and the EPA. There are tremendous impacts of this outrageous action in our area. The Environmental Defense Fund and University of Washington have reported that vehicle NO2 emissions alone are responsible for about 2,500 premature deaths and 5,000 new cases of childhood asthma each year in the Bay Area, and that vehicle particulate emissions cause similar impacts."

"BART is facing a serious fiscal challenge, and difficult choices are unavoidable. President Hernandez and BART leadership deserve credit for prioritizing system solvency and reliable service for all the Bay Area residents who depend on their services every day. At a moment when operating deficits threaten station closures and deep service cuts, it is fiscally responsible to focus limited resources on keeping the system running safely and effectively."

The EPA's repeal of the endangerment finding relied on a secret DOE-convened panel of climate deniers; a federal judge ruled that secret panel acted illegally on Jan. 30. The EPA used the DOE panel's report to rescind the endangerment rule and vehicle emissions regulations. Vehicle NO2 emissions cause roughly 2,500 premature deaths and 5,000 new childhood asthma cases each year in the Bay Area, with particulate emissions causing similar harms. State budget deficits require consideration of spending reductions to help close gaps. BART leadership prioritized operating solvency and reliable service amid fiscal challenges and constrained resources.

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