The Environmental Protection Agency is
promising to erase a scientific finding that underpins (to give support, strength, or a basic structure to something
支撐;加強;鞏固;構成（基礎）) climate regulations nationwide(existing or happening
in all parts of a particular country全國性的，全國範圍的). But some business leaders said they are wary (not
completely trusting or certain about something or someone謹慎的；小心翼翼的) that the move could lead to a costly legal quagmire(/ˈkwæɡ.maɪr/ an area of
soft, wet ground that you sink into if you try to walk on it沼澤地，泥潭).
The rule, known as the “endangerment finding.”
is the conclusion by the EPA that greenhouse gases endanger public health and
therefore must be regulated by the federal government. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin
has said the agency would repeal (If a government
repeals a law, it causes that law no longer to have any legal force.
廢除，廢止，撤銷（法律）) the 2009 finding, contending(to
say that something is true or is a fact聲稱;斷言;主張) that the burden to industries
of cutting greenhouse gas emissions is more harmful than a warming planet.
Yet carmakers, electric utilities (a service that is used by the public, such as an electricity
or gas supply公用事業；（電、煤氣、鐵路等）公共設施), and even the old
and gas industry have asked the EPA to tread carefully. If the federal
government were to stop regulating greenhouse gases, the primary driver of
climate change for more than half a century, it could clear the way for states
and municipalities to sue (to take legal action against a
person or organization, especially by making a legal claim for money because of
some harm that they have caused you控告，對…提起訴訟（尤指要求賠償）) companies for damages from
climate change. And it could spur (to encourage an
activity or development or make it happen faster激勵，鞭策；促進，加速) individual states to come up with(to suggest or
think of an idea or plan想出，提出（主意或計劃）) their
own pollution limits, creating a patchwork(cloth made by
sewing together a lot of smaller pieces of cloth with different patterns and
colours, or the activity of doing this拼布工藝（品）) of regulations. Environmental
groups have also promised to sue the EPA if it repeals the finding, leading
to more uncertainty for businesses.
“This is something that the vast majority of
industry didn’t ask for and doesn’t want,” said Zach Friedman, senior director
of federal policy at Ceres
(Ceres in Roman mythology
(= ancient stories), the goddess (= female god) of grain and the harvest (= the
time when crops are cut)克瑞斯（羅馬神話中的穀物和豐收女神）此處指一非營機構), a nonprofit group that submitted a letter from 59 companies and
investors opposing(competing
or fighting against each other對立的;對抗的) the
EPA plan.
Brigit Hirsch, an EPA spokesperson, said
that rescinding
(to make a law, agreement, order, or decision no
longer have any (legal) power廢除;取消;撤銷) the endangerment finding
would “unlock regulatory clarity like never before” and that the finding had led
to heavy costs, particularly for the auto industry.
In its proposal to repeal the endangerment finding, the EPA cited (to speak or write words taken from a particular writer or
written work引用，引述) a recent Energy Department
report that downplayed(to make something seem less important or less bad than it
really is對…輕描淡寫;貶低;低估) the severity(seriousness嚴重) of climate change.
That report was written by five prominent (very well known and important著名的;重要的) climate contrarians(someone such as a writer or
politician who likes to disagree with other people and express opinions that
are unpopular: 與一般大眾觀點相反的人（如作家、政客等），唱反調的人) chosen by
the Trump administration. Their work has been sharply criticized by many
climate scientists.
Few business leaders raised(to
cause something to increase or become bigger, better, higher, etc.增加；提高；改善) the threat of climate change in their opposition(strong disagreement（強烈的）反對，反抗，對抗) to the EPA plan, and many in fact argued for(If you argue for an opinion, idea, belief, etc., you give
reasons why you think it is right:) loosened emissions standards. But they still said
the federal government should retain (to keep or
continue to have something:保持;保留;保有) the ability to regulate
greenhouse gases under the
Clean Air Act.
The Trump administration is aiming to finalize the repeal before the end of the year, according to several EPA officials. (Karen Zraick and Lisa Friedman)
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