By: Ali Simpson, National Field Manager, Moms Clean Air Force
Date: January 11, 2023
About: Environmental Protection Agency Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2021-0317
To: Environmental Protection Agency
My name is Ali Simpson, and I live in Bedford, New York, in Westchester County. I serve as a National Field Manager for Moms Clean Air Force. I’m here today to speak in support of this methane rule and encourage EPA to go further for the final rule.
For my entire life, I witnessed the reality of climate change. Having been raised in the city with the most polluted air in the entire country, Los Angeles, I have been deeply concerned about the impacts of climate for as long as I can remember. My concerns were heightened even further in 2021 with the birth of my son, Leo. I have devoted my career to ensuring a safe, livable planet for all children. I believe we must do everything in our power to protect them, and this is why I’m speaking to you today.
If we want to stop climate change, arguably the most efficient way of doing it is to aggressively curb methane emissions. One of the most harmful greenhouse gasses, methane is 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide at warming our climate. For this reason, I was overjoyed to see that this methane rule has been strengthened from the draft rule. Most notably, the inclusion of existing wells of which there are nearly 1 million. Additionally, using tech like gas-imaging cameras to conduct thorough and rapid inspection of the millions of low-producing wells is essential to curbing its impact on our climate—an estimated 50% of all methane emissions nationwide. Oil and gas companies will be held to account by requiring closure plans and thorough post-closure checks to make 100% sure that these wells are in fact not leaking. These are necessary and much appreciated requirements to fighting climate change and protecting the health of millions who live near operations, including children.
I want to thank EPA for this rule, though I urge the agency to strengthen the final rule. We must ensure that flaring is limited to only the most necessary safety reasons. We must also curb storage tank emissions and make the Super-Emitter Response Program as accessible as possible for communities and individuals alike.
The impacts of climate change are all around us and we must act swiftly and aggressively to protect our children.
Thank you for your time.