“Who in their right mind thinks it is OK to release more of the seven most dangerous air pollutants into the air?” asked an incredulous Dominique Browning, Moms’ Co-Founder and Director, on hearing that 216 members of the House of Representatives voted to pass one of the most lethal rollbacks to Clean Air Act protections in history.
“How is it even possible that they could think this pollution is good for the people they represent? How is it even possible that we have lawmakers and an EPA that want this?” she continued.
In this morning’s pre-dawn hours, House lawmakers, following the Senate’s lead, passed a resolution that removes protections on seven of the world’s most dangerous and deadly pollutants for 1,800 of the nation’s worst industrial polluters, including chemical manufacturers, pesticide makers, and refineries. This measure passed on a nearly party-line vote, with all Democrats and one Republican, Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1), voting against it. Now it heads to President Trump’s desk for signature.
Tell Congress: Defend EPA’s Ability to Protect Human Health and the Environment
The resolution allows companies to open the spigot for insidious chemicals, including mercury, dioxins, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and to stop monitoring or reporting their emissions. These pollutants are toxic in just fractions of a gram.
“The stakes are inconceivably high,” said Dominique. “These pollutants cause fetal harm. Altered human immune function. Developmental delays in children. Increased risk of reproductive problems. Diabetes. Dementia. Cardiovascular diseases. Cancer, cancer, cancer.”
No Congress has ever stripped away protections against toxic air pollution—let alone on this massive scale. What lawmakers have done is shameful, cruel, and reckless.
Moms Clean Air Force applauds the 212 Representatives who voted to protect our children, and we will continue to fight for clean air—in our communities, our states, and at EPA.
Tell Congress: Defend EPA’s Ability to Protect Human Health and the Environment