CONTACT: Sasha Tenenbaum
Senior Manager, Media and Public Engagement
stenenbaum@momscleanairforce.org
(917) 887-0146
WHAT: On Thursday, March 9 at 10 AM ET, our West Virginia organizer will join Moms Clean Air Force organizers in Washington, DC, at the US Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works (EPW) hearing on the environmental and public health threats facing the East Palestine community in the wake of the Norfolk Southern train derailment and toxic chemical release.
WHO: Our West Virginia organizer is set to attend the hearing in-person and will be available for interviews:
- Lucia Valentine, our West Virginia organizer, works on building support for a clean energy future that prioritizes the health of people in communities. Lucia can speak to the benefits of protecting families from polluting industries while also ensuring family sustaining clean energy jobs. Lucia says: “The East Palestine train derailment is a tragedy that will impact the health of nearby communities for decades to come. The multiple toxic petrochemicals that were emitted during the spill, and the PFAS used on the burning rail cars, puts children and families at higher risk of numerous types of cancer, adverse birth outcomes, asthma and respiratory illness, and more. West Virginia is considered the birthplace of the chemical industry, and we still see today the negative health impacts that our petrochemical plants, like Union Carbide, have on the already underserved communities across the Kanawha Valley. Congress and government agencies must protect us with strong laws that prevent future chemical disasters.”
WHEN: Thursday, March 9, 2023 at 10:00 AM ET
WHERE: The hearing will take place at the 406 Dirksen Senate Office Building. Live video of the hearing and witness testimony will be available on the committee’s website.
RESOURCES:
- Statement: Moms speak out about Ohio train derailment, calling on EPA and government to protect communities from petrochemical pollution
- Fact Sheet: Petrochemical Pollution and Our Health
- Blog Post: Ohio Train Derailment Highlights Toxic Plastic Pollution
- Petition: Protect People From the Disastrous Petrochemical Industry