By: Patrice Tomcik, Senior National Field Director
Date: July 29, 2026
About: Docket No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2026-0728-0114
To: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Thank you for the opportunity to testify today.
My name is Patrice Tomcik, and I am a Senior National Field Manager for Moms Clean Air Force, an organization of 1.6 million moms and dads united to protect our children’s health from air pollution and climate change. I live in the town of Gibsonia, located in southwestern Pennsylvania, with my husband and two children, where vehicle pollution degrades our air quality and contributes to climate change.
I urge EPA not to weaken tailpipe pollution protections for new heavy-duty diesel vehicles. These protections help to safeguard children from the health harms of truck tailpipe air pollution.
Air pollution from trucks is a major public health problem. Our Mars Area School District campus (K-12) is located approximately 175 feet from the heavy trafficked State Route 228. Studies have shown that the highest daytime exposures of traffic pollution are within 500 feet of a busy road. On an average day, at least 10,000 vehicles and 500 trucks and buses travel this heavily congested roadway. Construction is currently underway to expand Route 228 to a four lane highway even closer to the schools. Closing school windows and doors can help to lessen the traffic pollutant exposures, but the reality is that NOx, fine particles, and vapors are able to readily penetrate the indoors, where they can be breathed in by young lungs.
In the evening, students attend outdoor sports practices and games at the school sports complex located near the roadway. Both my children have been exposed to this air pollution since kindergarten until high school graduation. I am concerned about the years of cumulative pollution exposure on their developing lungs—especially my youngest son who is a cancer survivor and is immune compromised.
As a mother, I try to make his home environment as healthy as possible, but I know that I can’t control the air my son breathes and depend on Administrator Zeldin and EPA to do your jobs and protect him from harmful truck pollution.
Unfortunately, my story is not unique since many schools across the nation are built near busy roadways because the land is cheap.
I know that children are especially impacted by pollution since their lungs and brains are still developing until early adulthood. Toxic air pollution exposures can have deleterious effects that can last a lifetime.
Once again, I am urging EPA not to weaken protections against tailpipe pollution from new heavy-duty diesel vehicles. Please protect the health of all children across our nation.
Thank you.