By: Celerah Hewes, National Field Manager, Moms Clean Air Force
Date: May 3, 2023
About: Environmental Protection Agency Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2022-0985
To: Environmental Protection Agency
Thank you for the opportunity to give testimony today. My name is Celerah Hewes. I am a National Field Manager for Moms Clean Air Force, an organization with over 1.5 million parents, caregivers, and family members working to protect our children’s health from the impacts of climate change and air pollution.
I live in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where I am a mother to a 10-year-old daughter. We live about 3 miles southeast from “The Big I,” which is what locals call the intersection of the two major interstates that run through our state, as well as being a few miles North from both the Airport and Kirtland Air Force Base. This means that there are a lot of heavy-duty trucks in our area, and a lot of truck pollution.
I am here today to speak in support of EPA's proposed greenhouse gas regulations for heavy-duty vehicles. These standards are an important step forward in protecting the health of our families from climate pollution. EPA can and should further strengthen final standards in a manner that would help to deliver nationwide levels of zero emission vehicles consistent with the Advanced Clean Trucks rule.
I was born in New Mexico and when I decided to have a family, this is where I wanted to raise children. Our mountains, blue skies, and amazing food were something I wanted to pass down to future generations. But I fear that the place I call home will not be the same for my child, given the impacts of climate change. Extreme heat and drought are two of the most concerning impacts that we are seeing in the Southwest. Last summer, my child got heat stroke on numerous days and her summer camp had to move inside, due to high temperatures. Last winter, we barely had any snow, which means less of a snowpack to keep our beautiful scenery alive through the hot summers. It also means that crops, like our famous green chiles, are suffering as well.
Climate change also means the allergy season is longer and more intense. My daughter's allergies have gotten so bad that she has to take numerous medications and still comes home rubbing her eyes and sneezing. I regularly get calls from the school nurse because allergy season now includes most of the school year and recess can cause symptoms like red, swollen eyes, and itching that make it difficult for my child to learn. We know that greenhouse gas emissions are driving climate change, and we need to reduce climate pollution from vehicles in order to have a stable climate and protect our family’s health.
While I do everything I can as a parent to make sure that my child is getting what she needs, EPA has the opportunity to do everything they can to reduce future impacts of climate change by curbing heavy duty truck emissions. Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, making up 27% of all emissions. In order to protect the health of our communities and reduce the GHG pollution causing dangerous and costly climate change, the EPA must ensure that truck pollution standards are as strong as possible.
The vehicles covered by this rule will be on the road for decades to come. Parents want to see a rapid transition to zero-emissions vehicles, and I urge EPA to finalize the strongest possible clean trucks standards—consistent with the Advanced Clean Trucks rule—this year.