By: Celerah Hewes, National Field Manager, Moms Clean Air Force
Date: June 13, 2023
About: Environmental Protection Agency Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2023-0072
To: Environmental Protection Agency
Thank you for the opportunity to give testimony today. My name is Celerah Hewes, and I live in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with my family. I am a National Field Manager for Moms Clean Air Force, an organization with over 1.5 million parents, caregivers, and family members working to protect our children’s health from the impacts of climate change and air pollution.
Fossil-fueled power plants are responsible for almost one-quarter of the climate pollution generated by the US. I am here today because I strongly support EPA’s proposal to limit carbon emissions from fossil fuel power plants to help protect our families from the harmful pollution that contributes to climate change and impacts health. EPA must strengthen community input and safeguards before swiftly approving a final version of this rule.
I was born in New Mexico, and when I decided to have a family, this is where I wanted to raise children. Living near the mountains and our expansive blue skies was something I wanted my children to experience. But I am already seeing that the place I call home will not be the same for my child, given the impacts of climate change. Extreme heat, drought, and wildfires are some of the most concerning impacts that we are seeing in the Southwest.
This June, we have seen the horrific impact of climate change and air pollution on the East Coast, as smoke from Canadian wildfires has blanketed numerous states and major cities. In April 2022, New Mexico had 20 wildfires burning in 16 counties across the state. Half of the state was on fire. Even for those not living in evacuation areas, smoke from the fire impacted our air quality, and there were days where we could not see the Sandia Mountains that take up our eastern views. We were advised to not go outside. Last summer, extreme heat caused my child to get heat stroke on numerous days, and her summer camp had to move activities inside because of high temperatures. This problem is only going to get worse if we do not act.
The proposed standards to limit greenhouse gas emissions and other forms of air pollution from new and existing coal- and gas-fired power plants are important because they will hold power plants accountable for their pollution. The proposed rules will also protect public health by cutting harmful air pollutants that are known to endanger people’s health, especially in communities that for too long have disproportionately shouldered the burden of high pollution and environmental injustice.
It is estimated that my child will live through at least 3 times as many climate disasters as my parents. In addition, studies have shown that the impact of climate change will impact her ability to learn, as well as her mental health. We must do something now to protect the generations to come, and that is why I support EPA’s proposal to limit carbon emissions from fossil fuel power plants and ask that EPA finalize these standards as quickly as possible.