By: Ana Rios, New Mexico State Coordinator, Moms Clean Air Force
Date: May 9, 2023
About: Environmental Protection Agency Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2018-0794
To: Environmental Protection Agency
Thank you for the opportunity to testify. My name is Ana Rios, and I am the New Mexico field organizer with Moms Clean Air Force and its Latino engagement program, EcoMadres. I live in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with my three children, and I strongly support EPA’s proposal to strengthen the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards. Today, I’m calling on the EPA to finalize these standards as quickly as possible.
Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that can cause permanent damage to the brains of babies and fetuses, leading to developmental delays, learning disabilities, behavioral problems, and birth defects. Though we’ve made progress on cleaning up mercury pollution, thanks to the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, there’s still a long way to go, and stronger standards are needed.
I personally like to eat fish, but when I got pregnant, my doctor cautioned me not to eat large fish because of potential mercury contamination and there’s no safe level of mercury consumption. Like any mother, I want to protect my kids from any harm, so I limited the consumption of fish. One day, my daughter asked me, if she likes fish, why we couldn’t eat it more regularly. When I explained why, she expressed her discomfort, “Why is pollution even in the food? Aren’t fish supposed to be healthy for you?” And she is right. Why should the vast majority of the population, especially communities of color, be worried about many different ways pollution is affecting their life around the country? Strengthening mercury standards is a matter of environmental justice.
Moms Clean Air Force has been advocating for strong mercury protections for over a decade, and we strongly support strengthening MATS. We must keep mercury and other toxics from spewing out of coal-fired power plants and ending up in our air, water, soil, and food.
EPA’s proposal to strengthen MATS is a welcome step forward. The proposed rule will hold coal-fired power plants accountable for their pollution, protecting babies’ and children’s health.
Once again, I strongly support the proposed rule, and ask you to finalize stronger mercury and air toxics protections as soon as possible.