• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Moms Clean Air Force

Fighting for Our Kids' Health

  • Take Action
    • Right Now
      • Sign a Petition
      • Legislation We Support
      • Clean Air Action Guide
    • Attend an Event
      • Event Calendar
    • En Español
      • Ecomadres
    • Support Moms
      • Donate
  • What We Work On
    • Moms Priorities
      • EPA Work
      • Legislation We Support
      • Environmental Justice
    • Air Pollution
      • Clean Transportation
      • Mercury
      • Smog
      • Soot Pollution
    • Climate Change
      • Carbon Pollution
      • Clean Energy
      • Extreme Weather
      • Mental Health
      • Methane
    • Toxic Chemicals
      • Chemical Safety
      • Plastics and Petrochemicals
      • Schools
  • Where We Work
    • State Chapters
      • Arizona
      • California
      • Colorado
      • Florida
      • Georgia
      • Illinois
      • Iowa
      • Louisiana
      • Maryland
      • Michigan
      • Missouri
      • Montana
      • Nevada
      • New Hampshire
      • New Jersey
      • New Mexico
      • New York
      • North Carolina
      • Ohio
      • Pennsylvania
      • South Carolina
      • Tennessee
      • Texas
      • Virginia
      • Washington
      • Washington, DC
      • West Virginia
  • Who We Are
    • Mission

      We are a community of over one million parents united against air and climate pollution to protect our children’s health.

      • Learn More
    • Our Team
      • National Team
      • Field Organizers
      • Writers
      • Job Openings
    • Learn More
      • Our Mission
      • Legislation We Support
      • National Wins
      • 2022 Annual Report
    • Programs
      • Ecomadres
      • Community Health Equity
      • Indigenous Communities
    • Get in Touch
      • Contact Us
      • Media Inquiries
  • Articles
    • All Articles
      • Topics
        • Air Pollution
        • Climate Change
        • Toxic Chemicals
        • Politics
        • Interviews
        • Hope
    • Clean Air Centers Help Communities Prepare for Bad Air
      Toxic Vinyl Chloride in Children's Toys Must be Banned
      Healthy and Clean Transportation is Possible
      Almeta Cooper Defends Strong Pollution Protections Before Congress
  • Resources
  • Press
    • Media Contact

      For all urgent press inquiries, please contact Sasha Tenenbaum, 917-887-0146

      • Email Sasha
    • Moms in the Media
      • Press Releases
      • News Stories
      • Moms Make News Archives
  • Donate

FacebookTwitterinstagram

  • Take Action
  • Join the Force
  • Donate

Ohio 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: Tracy Sabetta, 614.581.2907, tsabetta@momscleanairforce.org

Columbus, OH – Today, in the midst of a global respiratory pandemic, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler is expected to finalize his attack on the life-saving Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS). In response, Tracy Sabetta, Field Organizer for Moms Clean Air Force’s Ohio Chapter and Columbus area resident, issued this rebuke:

“Right now, Americans across the country are grappling with the impacts of coronavirus—a lethal respiratory pandemic. But incredibly, Andrew Wheeler insists on protecting industrial polluters, at the expense of our families’ health.

“The Trump Administration’s assault on life-saving standards that protect our babies and children from harmful mercury pollution is infuriating. To make matters worse, this rule is just one of an onslaught of dangerous moves that jeopardize public health and the environment—this at a time when protecting my family’s lungs has never been more important. My family and I work, play, and study in Franklin County, which received an F grade from the American Lung Association for air quality. Given this track record, any attempt to roll back pollution standards is unacceptable.

“The Mercury and Air Toxics Standards are already fully implemented, and they are currently protecting families across the country from toxic air pollution. Since the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards were finalized in 2012, mercury pollution from coal-fired power plants in Ohio has decreased by 86%, with an estimated $4.6 billion in health benefits to Ohioans each year. Across the country, the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards save 11,000 Americans from premature death annually.

“Today, Trump’s EPA has chosen to gamble with our children’s health for the benefit of coal industry profits. This crosses the line for Ohio’s moms and dads. This EPA Administrator, and this President, clearly care more about coal company profits than they do about our children. This attack on the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards is an outrage, and Ohio families will continue to fight these attacks on behalf of the most vulnerable among us: our children.”

###

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.

Join the force and stay updated on opportunities to take action:

Donate

Footer

Moms Clean Air Force

We are a community of 1.5 million moms and dads united against air pollution – including the urgent crisis of our changing climate – to protect our children’s health.

Areas of Focus

  • Air Pollution
  • Climate Change
  • Toxic Chemicals

FacebookTwitterinstagram

© 2023 Moms Clean Air Force
All rights reserved

Privacy Policy