Mothers Fight for Climate Safety and Clean Air

July-December 2019 in Review

Momentum for climate action is growing worldwide. Now nearly 1.2 million strong, Moms Clean Air Force (Moms) has maintained the drumbeat for healthier air and climate action by rallying in local communities, knocking on the doors of local lawmakers, and testifying at key hearings.

Moms testify at the EPA to defend the Mercury & Air Toxics Standards.

Our bold red T-shirts have become a familiar and recognized symbol of Moms in the halls of Congress as we meet with our senators and representatives in Washington, DC and in our home districts.

Moms continues to build our strong nationwide network of “supermoms” — dedicated members who can be counted on to appear at hearings and meet with state and national elected officials. In these meetings, we urge our lawmakers to stand up against the Trump administration’s attacks on environmental regulations and lay the groundwork for bold bipartisan leadership on climate.

Moms reaches millions of followers on a monthly basis via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We use these platforms to build community and create awareness. As a result, our members are much more likely to respond to an email that asks them to contact their elected officials for a specific action alert. Although Moms has a very small digital team, our organization is recognized as having one of the most successful environmental health social media programs in the world. For example, Moms Clean Air Force routinely appears in the top 10 most engaging climate posts from environmental organizations on Facebook.

Five hundred Moms and their families from 30 states marched to Capitol Hill in July for meetings with lawmakers after the 2019 Play-In for Climate Action.

The Moms influence was a powerful asset to finally move the needle on federal climate legislation. Direct contact from our members was responsible for 47% of House co-sponsors of the newly introduced 100% Clean Economy Act (74 of 156 representatives). This is a monumental feat in a Congress divided, even within parties, over how fast to move on climate action.

Moms also continued to hold the line against the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) attacks, leading the fight against mercury and methane rollbacks and drumming up support for clean car standards. By late November, Moms, Defend Our Future (EDF’s millennial outreach project), and EDF members generated 1.1 million messages to Congress opposing the EPA rollbacks.

We thank you for your support and are proud to share some highlights of our progress below.

Campaigns Against EPA Rollbacks

Mercury and Air Toxics Standards

The science is clear. Mercury causes brain damage in babies and has a significant health impact on children, the elderly, and other vulnerable populations; it can interrupt the developing brain architecture of a fetus.

The 2011 Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) dramatically reduced mercury emissions from the power sector. Despite this success, the Trump administration is now in the final stages of dramatically weakening the standards.

Moms have vowed not to let this attack proceed without a fight. In June 2019, Moms worked with Rep. Kim Schrier (D-WA) to build bipartisan support and pass an amendment that would block the EPA from finalizing its proposal to undermine the MATS rule. Moms is now making a push for a similar amendment in the Senate.

Moms’ ongoing fight against the attack on the mercury standards has helped slow down the EPA’s deregulatory agenda, while heightening public and Congressional concern about the impact it would have on children’s health.

During the 2019 Play-In for Climate Action, our members and their families met with 42 U.S. senators and representatives, including 12 senators on the Appropriations Committee, urging them to block the EPA’s attack on the mercury standards.

Moms worked with Congresswoman Kim Schrier to block EPA from implementing its attack on the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards.

A month later, Moms developed a fact sheet that shows how the mercury standards have dramatically lowered mercury emissions from coal plants in the Great Lakes Region and met with Senator Debbie Stabenow’s (D-MI) staff to discuss a letter to the Great Lakes Task Force.

Moms is also helping to raise the voices of Native Americans on the issue of mercury pollution. The health of indigenous families is disproportionately harmed by mercury pollution because they rely on locally-caught fish from contaminated lakes and streams. The EPA did not consult with tribes about the MATS rollback, claiming it did “not have tribal implications.”

Through interviews with Native American women posted on our website, we are working to raise awareness in Congress and among the public about the importance of protecting federal mercury standards.

Oil and Gas Methane Pollution Standards

In August 2019, the Trump administration released a proposal to roll back federal rules that regulate methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, and decrease the frequency of required methane leak inspections. This would severely weaken federal oversight of existing oil and gas operations.

Moms helped bring national attention to this dangerous rollback by publishing op-eds and letters to the editor, collecting public comments through online petitions, and launching a social media awareness and accountability campaign. In October 2019, Moms from six states testified in Dallas at the only EPA public hearing on the rollbacks held nationwide. Our members’ testimony was featured prominently in coverage in the Dallas Morning News, Public News Service (PA), and the Albuquerque Journal. After the hearing, New Mexico member Penny Aucion’s letter to the editor ran in the Carlsbad Current Angus (a USA Today paper) and Moms’ Ecomadres member Myrelis Diaz Martinez of Arizona published an op-ed in Latina Lista.

Moms national field director Heather McTeer Toney testifies against the Trump administration’s proposal to roll back standards that protect against some of the most dangerous types of air pollution from power plants.

Clean Car Standards

The Trump administration is attacking clean car standards at both the state and federal level. In September 2019, the administration moved to revoke states’ authority to enforce stricter pollution standards than those set by the federal government. A group of attorneys general challenged the rollback of California’s longstanding authority to set stricter tailpipe pollution standards, which 13 additional states adopted.

Moms launched a campaign calling on all uncommitted attorneys general to join the lawsuit against the rollback and asking those aligned with the administration to remove their state from the lawsuit against California.

We also launched a campaign to generate backlash against the group of automakers—including Toyota, GM, Nissan, and FiatChrysler—that came out in favor of revoking the state’s authority.

Through a coalition of partners, Moms Clean Air Force is working to mobilize media attention. We are calling on our members who own hybrid or electric cars to share their outrage with automakers for siding with the administration and increasing their children’s exposure to pollution.

State Work

With the lack of climate leadership in Washington, Moms Clean Air Force is diving deeper than ever before into work at the state level. We have also been organizing mothers in the Latina community under our Ecomadres campaign. By showing up and stepping out alongside governors, state legislators, and mayors, Moms has been at the forefront of many state victories by demanding protections for all children.

New Mexico

In October 2019, Moms Clean Air Force celebrated a victory when Governor Michelle Lynn Lujan Grisham (D) issued a statement against the EPA’s proposed methane rollback. During the summer, Moms showed up in force at three public comment sessions in Farmington, Albuquerque, and Carlsbad to argue for strong, health-protective methane regulations. Moms in New Mexico, including our Ecomadres members, are now ramping up their campaign to convince the governor and her administration to move forward on the state’s first regulations to cut methane pollution. Moms and their families are also building demand for the implementation of the Energy Transfer Act, which would ensure that 50% of the state’s electricity is generated by renewable energy by 2030 and the electric grid is 100% carbon-free by 2045.

Pennsylvania

In October 2019, Moms Clean Air Force helped build support that led to Governor Tom Wolf (D) signing an executive order directing the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to develop a rule to limit carbon pollution from the power sector. The Keystone State has the fifth-dirtiest power sector in the nation, and cutting carbon emissions from its electric utilities is critical to moving on a path towards climate safety.

Moms Clean Air Force is now building support for Pennsylvania to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which puts carbon limits on the power sector in nine eastern seaboard states. Additionally, we are advising the Wolf administration on expanding methane rules to cover existing oil and gas infrastructure and leading a broad coalition of allies to keep pressure on the administration. The DEP is expected to finalize a rule for existing methane pollution sources this year.

Nevada

Every day, students riding diesel school buses breathe harmful exhaust fumes that can cause asthma, lung cancer, and other respiratory illnesses.

In July 2019, Moms Clean Air Force won an important victory, thanks in part to our Electric School Buses Campaign. Governor Steve Sisolak (D) signed Senate Bill 299, which requires that school districts eligible for state funding must install electric vehicle charging infrastructure and buy electric vehicles for transporting students. Our Nevada field organizer, Jennifer Cantley, is heading the state’s electric school bus pilot program, starting with four electric school buses.

Moms and their families joined young people in cities across the country for the Global Climate Strike in September 2019.

Additionally, Moms Clean Air Force is building support to install more EPA ambient air monitors across the state of Nevada and working with Congressman Mark Amodei (R) to secure state funding for the project. In July 2019, our Ecomadres members worked with the Reno mayor’s office, and the city announced a sustainability plan that includes standards for green building, clean energy, and waste management, along with plans to address “food deserts,” water management, and urban parks.

Colorado

Moms is recruiting members to appear at three critical public hearings in December 2019, as the state moves forward on rulemaking for the next generation of methane and air pollution standards for the oil and gas industry.

Moms will also ramp up advocacy to develop robust rules and implement the state’s newly passed Climate Action Plan to Reduce Pollution, which sets the state on a path to reduce statewide greenhouse gas 26% by 2025 and 90% by 2050.

Ohio

After the state legislature passed a bailout of a major state utility and gutted renewable energy and energy efficiency standards, Moms Clean Air Force has shifted our focus to working locally in Ohio to drive down carbon emissions.

This fall, the Ohio field team mobilized the Moms and Mayors program, which connects parents with their mayors and local elected leaders to implement clean air strategies, reduce toxins in the community, and take climate action. Moms Clean Air Force and members of Ohio’s public health community will collaborate with other groups to amplify the message that Ohio moms want clean energy and air for our children. Additionally, Moms is mobilizing in Columbus—Ohio’s largest city—to pass 100% clean energy legislation.

Florida

With over 180,000 members in the state often called “ground zero” for climate change, Moms Clean Air Force is a critical voice for climate action in Florida. Our Florida Ecomadres organizer, Yaritza Perez, is a United States Marine veteran and the face of the 100% Clean campaign—literally. Yaritza’s image appears on 100% Clean digital advertisements targeting Florida audiences, and she recently spoke at a press conference hosted by Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14).

The press conference took place during Hispanic Heritage Month and focused on the need for climate action and environmental justice in Tampa and across the state. In July 2019, Yaritza wrote an op-ed featured in Univision Noticias, one of the country’s largest Latino news outlets.

Image from a digital ad featuring Florida organizer Yaritza Perez.

Texas

In 2019, Moms won a major climate victory in San Antonio—the seventh largest city in the United States. After a Moms Clean Air Force state field organizer was appointed to serve on the committee developing the city’s first climate action plan, we led a grassroots campaign organizing our Ecomadres community to build support for the legislation.

In October 2019, the San Antonio City Council passed the plan and set a goal of citywide carbon neutrality by 2050.

To advance progress at the local level, Moms members meet with elected officials in their home towns — here after talks with city council members in Washington, DC.

Expanding the Power of Moms

Running for Office

Moms Clean Air Force is harnessing the enthusiasm of mothers who are ready to get more personally involved in government. We provide women with training about how to run for office or join a local board or commission.

In October 2019, long-time Moms organizer Christine Berg was asked to join the Colorado governor’s office as it implements a plan to transition local communities to 100% clean energy by 2040. She will focus on helping municipalities switch to clean energy.

Three of our field team leaders — Melissa Nootz (MT), Catherine Flowers (TX), and Vanessa Lynch (PA) ran for office in November 2019. We are thrilled that they brought home victories in two of the three races. Their willingness to run, coupled with the knowledge they gained by working with Moms, shines a clear spotlight on the need for climate action in key policy-making positions. We congratulate them on their success, and we look forward to more victories in the future.

Moms Clean Air Force is committed to giving women the tools they need to seek appointed and elected offices. This May, we held our second Mom Power Summit in Montana to train members to run for the office. The effort paid off.

Three attendees joined planning boards in their communities (Great Falls, Anaconda, and Bozeman.)
Two participants now serve on the Livingston City Commission, with one named chairwoman.
One attendee has since been appointed by the governor to serve on the Montana State Parks and Recreation Board.

Environmental Health Justice

Over the past year, Moms Clean Air Force has continued to expand our successful Ecomadres program organizing Latina moms. As well, we have launched a Community Rx program to raise awareness about the disproportionate health risks facing African-American families living in neighborhoods with high pollution.

To heighten engagement on environmental justice issues, we have partnered with the Women’s Auxiliary unit of the National Baptist Convention—an organization with over seven million members nationwide. Moms Clean Air Force was a special invited guest to the September 2019 annual convening, and in a matter of minutes distributed over 750 booklets about our climate-based Bible study program, Breath of Life. The Moms team spoke at the event, and for the first time, the 3,000 members of the National Baptist Convention’s Woman’s Auxiliary added climate to the list of their issues of concern. Over the next year, we will build on this important partnership.

National field director Heather McTeer Toney (right) and Community Rx representative Tonya Calhoun (left) with Sister Cynthia P. Smith, president of the National Baptist Convention’s Women’s Auxiliary. In November, Toney was awarded the inaugural Rachel’s Network Catalyst Award, which recognizes leaders among women of color making an environmental impact in communities across the country.

Media Coverage

Moms Clean Air Force has earned a strong reputation for effectively communicating the link between children’s health, climate change, and protective regulations.

In 2019, The New York Times published two op-eds from Moms Clean Air Force. Our co-founder and associate vice president Dominique Browning wrote a scathing piece about the nomination of Andrew Wheeler, a former coal lobbyist, to lead the EPA.

Our national field director, Heather McTeer Toney, addressed the role of black women in leading the climate movement.

Moms Clean Air Force has also brought powerful media attention to a broad range of issues including politics, health, and family. (See Attachment 1.)

What’s Next in 2020

Moms Clean Air Force is launching a new campaign targeting ethane “cracker plants”—industrial facilities that create the building blocks for plastics manufacturing. Plastic production is among the largest contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions from the industrial sector. The plants spew dangerous pollution into the air that puts workers and nearby residents at a higher risk of cancer, neurological problems, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, birth defects, and asthma attacks. This campaign is urgent. Today there are nearly 30 ethane cracker plants in the U.S., located mostly in low-income communities along the Gulf Coast of Texas and Louisiana.

The Department of Energy projects a massive and rapid expansion of the cracker plant industry, growing by as much as 85% in the next few decades in the Appalachian region, including Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and along the Ohio River. In 2020, Moms will fight for stronger EPA standards, while educating families about the danger these facilities pose to their children, families, and communities.

In November 2019, Moms members testified at EPA hearings to update regulations to ethane cracker plants, a review done every eight years.

With the 2020 elections approaching, Moms Clean Air Force will also focus on making climate change a priority campaign issue at all levels of government and help to elect pro-climate candidates to office.

Around the country, our organizers will urge members to evaluate candidates based on their climate policies, collect and send “get out the vote” cards in English and Spanish, and help members register to vote.

Our goal is to elect leaders who can advance bold climate legislation and move us forward on a path towards climate safety.

We thank you for your support, which has been critical to the progress made by Moms Clean Air Force in 2019.