U.S. Fossil Fuel Environmentalism: EPA Air Quality Statistics

A tweet from the Institute for Energy Research (IER) shared the latest from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, with the comment:

From 1970 to 2023, U.S. emissions of six criteria air pollutants declined 78% while GDP grew 321% and energy consumption rose 42%—consistent with the Environmental Kuznets Curve and driven by wealth creation and market incentives rather than central planning.

This progress can be traced back to 1970:

——————–

[1] The 1970 Clean Air Act required the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for common pollutants, known as criteria pollutants, to protect public health. The original list of six, finalized by 1971, are Carbon Monoxide; Lead; Nitrogen Dioxide; Ozone; Particulate Matter; Sulfur Dioxide.…

Alarmist Fussing at NYT Climate Reporting

“… Instead of reporting on this, [Lisa Friedman and Maxine Joselow] present this as a horse race with one side gaining significant ground, and the other on the verge of losing mightily, though they also … [let] statements like ‘hoax’ or ‘green new scam’ go unanswered. It’s not quite yellow journalism but it is not without a heavy amber hue.” – Chris Wilke, Center for Environmental Law & Policy

“Great reporting by Lisa Friedman and Maxine Joselow [“Trump Allies Near ‘Total Victory’ in Wiping Out U.S. Climate Regulation,” New York Times (February 9, 2026)] on the long campaign by four hardcore climate deniers to take down the Endangerment Finding,” wrote Jeff Goodell on social media. The leading author of climate alarmist books and articles continued:

Forget the idea of energy policy based on abundance.

Trump II vs. Biden: Energy Policy Reversal

“The narrative of the Progressive Left on energy and climate has become strained as a result of Trump’s energy/climate policy reversal. Hundreds if not thousands of government-enabled energy interventionists are out of action or seeking other employment. A deregulatory dynamic has been created, in other words.”

In “Trump’s Energy Triumph,” (March 13, 2026), Kimberly Strassel of the Wall Street Journal wrote:

The biggest threat to this plan was always the Biden administration, which halted liquefied natural-gas exports, shuttered Alaskan and Gulf drilling, snubbed Middle East partners, pressed investors to abandon fossil-fuel projects, and dispatched John Kerry to kill energy deals. All in the name of climate change.

She continued:

These would also be the folks who sold off the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to win an election. Want to send real fear through energy markets?

Another PTC/ITC Extension for Wind/Solar? Just Say NO

IPCC Troubles: The Latest from Bangkok

The ‘Climate Change’ Bottom Line

Resourceful Earth Day: Fred Smith on Julian Simon

New Food Pyramid: Another Blow to Climate Activism

The Increasing Sustainability of Conventional Energy: Shell Offshore

Breakthrough! Houston Chronicle Publishes Non-alarmist Climate Op-ed