A group of 18 young California residents has sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for “intentionally” discriminating against American children by allowing the release of dangerous levels of climate change-causing greenhouse gas pollution.
The young people filed their lawsuit on Sunday December 10, 2023 in a California federal court, arguing the Environmental Protection Agency EPA is violating their equal protection, due process and other rights under the U.S. Constitution by permitting factories, refineries and other sources of pollution to release too much climate-warming pollutants like carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide.The plaintiffs are between the ages of 8 and 17 and said the permitting is discriminatory since children are particularly vulnerable to pollution and climate change impacts given their still-developing lungs and bodies, and inability to directly participate in the U.S. political system.The lawsuit is asking the court to declare that the EPA is violating the rights of children and exceeding the agency’s power including its authority under the Clean Air Act, which requires the agency to manage the nation’s air quality and control pollution to protect human health and welfare.