Getting the strongest possible Environmental Protection Agency regulations for clean air across the finish line is core to our work at Moms Clean Air Force. We gather petition signatures, recruit volunteers to testify at public hearings, and hold meetings with EPA officials to ensure our children are protected from harmful pollutants, like soot, smog, and mercury. Read more about our recent EPA work.
These are the proposed clean air regulations EPA is currently considering:
Standards for Methane Pollution From New and Existing Oil and Gas Operations
In November 2021, EPA came up with preliminary rules to cut methane and other harmful pollutants from new and existing oil and gas operations. Dozens of Moms showed up at a public hearing shortly after to urge EPA to strengthen this proposal—and thousands more Moms submitted written comments. EPA listened and released an updated methane proposal in 2022 that is stronger on leak detection and repair requirements, inspections of small and abandoned wells, and the minimization of highly polluting incidents. We expect the new standards to be finalized late this year.
National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Soot Pollution
In early 2023, EPA proposed new standards for soot pollution, but they don’t go nearly far enough in protecting our children and communities from avoidable harms. The proposal falls short of the strongest limits recommended by scientific guidance, missing a key opportunity to save lives, protect health, and advance environmental justice. We expect EPA to finalize the soot standards later in 2023.
Mercury and Air Toxics Standards
New protections against mercury and other air toxics coming from coal-fired power plants were announced in April 2023. The proposed standards will specifically address emissions from the burning of lignite coal and will also strengthen protection from arsenic, lead, and chromium by requiring continuous emissions monitoring for coal plants, instead of short, periodic emissions tests. We expect EPA to finalize these standards late this year.
Clean Car Standards
In the spring of 2023, EPA proposed Clean Car Standards that are a significant step forward in the transition to zero-emission vehicles. These standards would put us on a critical path to boosting the electric passenger vehicle market share to 67% by 2032. We expect the standards to be finalized late this year.
Greenhouse Gas Pollution Standards for Heavy-Duty Trucks
In April 2023, EPA announced historic standards to address climate pollution from heavy-duty trucks. The proposal would significantly reduce carbon emissions through 2055 and speed the transition to zero-tailpipe-pollution vehicles—which, importantly, would also help improve air quality nationwide, especially for communities near major roadways. We expect the standards to be finalized late this year.
Standards for Pollution From Chemical Manufacturing
In April 2023, EPA proposed new standards to protect people from the hazardous air pollution emitted by more than 200 of the biggest, most toxic chemical manufacturing facilities in the country. Some of these petrochemical facilities are as large as hundreds of football fields. They combine fossil fuels and hazardous chemicals to make plastics, paints, synthetic fabrics, pesticides, vinyl flooring, and other petrochemical products. We expect these standards to be finalized in March 2024.
Carbon Pollution Standards for Fossil Fuel Power Plants
In May 2023, EPA proposed comprehensive standards to cut carbon pollution from fossil fuel power plants. The proposed standards would encourage the transition to clean, renewable, and sustainable energy sources and thereby avoid hundreds of millions of metric tons of carbon pollution through 2042. We expect these standards to be finalize in late 2023.
TELL PRESIDENT BIDEN AND EPA: MOVE QUICKLY TO FINALIZE STRONG POLLUTION PROTECTIONS