Michigan Moms are outraged at EPA’s attack on the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards in the midst of a global respiratory pandemic: Sabotaging these standards is an unforgivable assault on our health
PRESS STATEMENT
April 16, 2020
Contact: Elizabeth Hauptman, ehauptman@momscleanairforce.org, 586-489-7988
(Brighton, MI) – Today, in the midst of a global respiratory pandemic, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler is expect to finalize his attack on the life-saving Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS). In response, Elizabeth Hauptman, Field Organizer for Moms Clean Air Force’s Michigan Chapter and Brighton resident, issued this rebuke:
“Right now, Michiganders are sick and dying from coronavirus—a lethal respiratory pandemic. But incredibly, Andrew Wheeler is finalizing a rule today that would increase air pollution that harms the lungs, brains, and hearts of our loved ones.
“Trump’s EPA has hit a new low with today’s finalization of a senseless attack on a life-saving pollution standard. The Mercury and Air Toxics Standards are fully implemented and already protecting babies, children, and moms. This move is a cynical giveaway to a small number of polluters looking for a handout.
“As a Michigander and a mom, I take this attack personally. That’s because the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards provide Michiganders—and families across the country—with vital protections. Since these standards were enacted in 2012, Michigan residents have benefited from a 91% reduction in mercury pollution from coal-fired power plants and an estimated $3.4 billion in health benefits each year. Across the country, the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards save 11,000 Americans from premature death annually. It’s outrageous to undermine such an enormously successful program that protects our babies’ brains and bodies from preventable coal plant pollution.
“Today’s attack shows the Trump administration’s outright bias in favor of big polluters at the expense of our babies. It is an outrage, and Michigan families will continue to fight these attacks on behalf of the most vulnerable among us.”
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About Moms Clean Air Force: Moms Clean Air Force is a community of over one million moms—and dads—working together to fight air pollution, including the urgent crisis of our changing climate. For more information, go to http://www.momscleanairforce.org/or follow us on Twitter @CleanAirMoms, Instagram @cleanairmoms, or Facebook.