Contact: Sasha Tenenbaum, stenenbaum@momscleanairforce.org, 917-887-0146
WASHINGTON, DC — Tomorrow is the first climate-related public hearing at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) since President Biden took office, as part of the first climate-related public docket for the agency under EPA Administrator Michael Regan’s leadership.
40 moms and members of Moms Clean Air Force from across the country are participating virtually in this critical public hearing, offering testimony in full support of EPA’s proposal to restore long-standing state authority to protect their residents from climate pollution from cars, which the Trump administration had tried to strip away.
EPA’s proposal would once again permit California, and any states that choose to adopt California’s standards, to set stricter climate pollution standards for cars and light trucks. To date, these states include CA, CT, DC, DE, MA, MD, ME, NJ, NY, OR, PA, RI, VT, and WA.
Please note that reporters will be able to hear testimony as it is delivered live by phone starting at 9 AM ET by following the instructions here.
Ahead of this hearing, the following Moms Clean Air Force members—who themselves will be offering testimony at this pivotal hearing—have issued the following statements:
“This hearing crucially sets the stage for what Biden’s EPA will do next on car pollution. It’s why 40 moms are speaking up to demand cleaner cars for our families’ health. As parents, we are ready to drive policy forward on cleaner cars. With the transportation sector as the nation’s leading source of climate-warming carbon pollution, our states absolutely need the ability to slash pollution from cars and light trucks. Restoring this authority is the first step in cutting pollution from cars. It will set the stage for quickly putting in place strong federal tailpipe emissions standards. Together, these two things are what we need right now to meaningfully address the air pollution and climate change harming our lungs and lives,” said Molly Rauch, Public Health Policy Director for Moms Clean Air Force.
“As the mother of a son with breathing issues, today’s hearing couldn’t have more personal meaning for me and for him. I live in a traffic-congested area where tailpipe pollution aggravates my son’s breathing on a nearly daily basis. It’s high time that states have the right to protect our children’s health by setting stricter climate pollution standards for vehicles on the road. We owe this protection to everyone, but especially to communities of color like mine that are disproportionately impacted by transport pollution. Let’s remove the roadblocks preventing states from protecting the health of our children!” said Cinthia Zermeño Moore, Nevada field organizer for Moms Clean Air Force and EcoMadres lead.
“My home state of Maryland is one of many states going the extra mile to protect their families from carbon pollution. We health advocates demand that this authority challenged by the last administration be reinstated as soon as possible. Our ability to advance public health and address the climate crisis is at stake in this rulemaking process. The groundswell of grassroots support for cutting car pollution as quickly as possible shows that families are serious about protecting our children’s health and future,” said Elizabeth Brandt, Field Manager for Moms Clean Air Force.
RESOURCES:
- Moms Clean Air Force on “EPA Moves Toward Cleaning Up Climate Pollution From Cars”
- More information on how to hear live testimony at EPA’s hearing
- An overview on why we must reduce pollution from cars and trucks