Energy Secretary Chris Wright slammed the legislation as entirely negative. “The 2009 Endangerment finding has had an enormously negative impact on the lives of the American people,” he said in comments on the news.

“For more than 15 years, the U.S. government used the finding to pursue an onslaught of costly regulations – raising prices and reducing reliability and choice on everything from vehicles to electricity and more. It’s past time the United States ensures the basis for issuing environmental regulations follows the science and betters human lives.”

The Endangerment Finding stated that carbon dioxide, methane, and four other gases were a threat to public health. Numerous scientists have challenged what effectively amounts to calling CO2 a pollutant, noting that it is the greenhouse effect of this gas that has made the planet inhabitable.

The EPA will have 30 days to complete the review and submit recommendations on whether it would be a good idea to keep the Endangerment Finding or dismiss it. According to Bloomberg, the dismissal of the Endangerment Finding could lead to policy revisions regarding emissions from power plants, cars, and oil wells.