By: Almeta Cooper, National Manager for Health Equity, Moms Clean Air Force
Date: May 2, 2023
About: Environmental Protection Agency Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2022-0985
To: Environmental Protection Agency
Good morning. My name is Almeta Cooper. I am the National Manager for Health Equity for Moms Clean Air Force, which consists of about 1.5 million moms, dads, and caregivers nationally who are united in protecting clean air and children’s health.
As an African American woman, a mother, and a member of Moms Clean Air Force living in Washington, DC, I applaud EPA for proposing stronger greenhouse gas emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles effective with model year 2027 as an important step forward in protecting families, especially Black and Brown families who are living, playing, and working near locations that are the most affected by the harmful health effects of climate pollution.
As parents and caregivers, we are asking for a rapid transition to zero-emitting heavy-duty vehicles because the transportation sector is the largest source of climate pollution in the United States, making up 27% of all greenhouse gas emissions. It’s also a significant source of air pollution. Even worse, heavy-duty vehicles—which include trucks, school buses, transit buses, semi-trailer trucks, garbage /recycling trucks, and delivery trucks—are the second-largest contributor in the transportation sector, second only to passenger vehicles.
The specific reason that I am here today is that I care deeply about environmental justice, especially the connection between climate change and health equity for our most vulnerable populations. Climate change is a major contributor to the health crisis in African American communities—not in some distant future, but right now because of extreme weather events. African Americans bear 21% more of the climate change harms when compared to other racial groups.
Across the country, communities of color experience higher than average levels of pollution exposure from a variety of sources, including heavy-duty trucks. African Americans, specifically, are exposed to higher than average amounts of pollution from all sources, according to the EPA’s National Emissions Inventory.
And not only do heavy-duty trucks contribute to climate pollution, but they also pollute our air. In Washington, DC, where I live about 126,000 children, 9,000 pregnant women, and 86,000 people 65 years old and older are being exposed to poor air quality daily because of air pollution. Strong standards could be a catalyst to accelerate the transition to zero-emission vehicles, which would have benefits both for our climate and our health.
In closing, I strongly urge the EPA to (1) finalize the strongest possible greenhouse gas emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles this year, and (2) strengthen the final greenhouse gas emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles to better protect children, people with asthma, older adults, and other vulnerable groups from the health harms of air pollution. Everyone should be able to breathe clean air.
Thank you to EPA and its staff for inviting public comment and permitting remote testimony to allow for increased participation in these public hearings.