EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced last week at a closed-door conference of the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association that EPA plans to weaken oil and gas methane pollution protections. Moms Clean Air Force members, who have advocated for strong protections from this known public health threat for over a decade, are outraged.
Celerah Hewes (pictured), Moms’ Senior Manager for Field Campaigns, calls this “a slap in the face to families who are exposed to oil and gas pollution where they live, work, and play” in a statement to Common Dreams. She also spoke at a rally outside the conference, which is covered by Santa Fe New Mexican.
Tell Congress: Hold Zeldin Accountable for Corrupting EPA’s Mission
Colorado Field Organizer Laurie Anderson also responded, telling Colorado Public Radio News, “Weakening federal protections would undermine progress—leaving frontline communities similar to mine unnecessarily exposed to dangerous air pollution.”
In the news
- Almeta Cooper, Moms’ National Manager for Health Justice, spoke with Black Press USA about the link between air quality and child health, noting that Black children live with disproportionately high rates of asthma.
- Lani Wean, Moms’ West Virginia Field Organizer, gave a powerful testimony at the West Virginia Public Service Commission regarding proposed rules meant to attract data centers. Her remarks are covered by The Inter-Mountain and Charleston Gazette-Mail.
- Lani Wean, as featured in Oil and Gas Watch, also spoke at a community meeting about the Clean-Seas Chemical Recycling facility and the dangers it poses to families’ health.
- Wisconsin Field Organizer Jayne Black sat down with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, warning that We Energies’ proposed natural gas plant could increase air pollution and cause respiratory health problems, particularly for children and older adults.
- Moms Clean Air Force was featured in Washingtonian for the Inaugural “Power of Moms Award” Luncheon at Marcus DC, honoring Jon Batiste’s mom, Katherine Batiste, for her environmental advocacy.
- Elizabeth Hauptman, Moms’ Michigan Field Organizer, was interviewed for MeidasTouch Network about how the Trump administration’s rollback of pollution protections endangers her son.
Honorable mentions
Over the last few weeks, Moms earned mentions in Clean Technica, Daily Caller, Earth.com, and EcoPortal.
Tell Congress: Hold Zeldin Accountable for Corrupting EPA’s Mission