By: Cynthia Palmer, Senior Analyst for Petrochemicals, Moms Clean Air Force
Date: August 19, 2025
About: Environmental Protection Agency Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2025-0194
To: Environmental Protection Agency
I’m Cynthia Palmer, Senior Analyst for Petrochemicals at Moms Clean Air Force. I oppose efforts to undermine or revoke the Endangerment Finding and tailpipe vehicle standards.
Air pollution from combusting fossil fuels is putting floods, fires, and hurricanes on steroids.
These climate emergencies are triggering chemical disasters–the factory explosions and fires, melting pipelines, and toxic releases that add a terrifying sequel, lasting for years or decades and ending in cancer and other illnesses.
With storms on the horizon, petrochemical facilities flare massive amounts of toxic chemicals. In the case of Hurricane Harvey, for example, companies smothered Texas communities with nearly 2,000 extra tons of benzene, dioxins, and other hazardous pollutants.
Fossil-fueled extreme weather triggers chemical fires and explosions. At the Arkema Chemical Plant in Crosby, Texas, for example, the more-than three feet of flood waters damaged refrigeration systems meant to keep flammable chemicals from decomposing and igniting.
Likewise in Satartia Mississippi, a pipeline carrying carbon dioxide used in oil drilling fractured violently due to heavy rains and floods, spewing carbon dioxide for hours. The carbon dioxide displaced oxygen in the air, so car engines stopped running and people could not escape. CO2 emissions can cause heart malfunction and death by asphyxiation.
The clay, earth, concrete or sand coverings on Superfund sites are no match for the increasingly powerful hurricanes, floods, and storm surges. At the San Jacinto Waste Pits, for example, the protective concrete cap was smashed by 16 feet of flood waters, sending vast amounts of dioxins into the river.
Last year, at least 37 states topped 100 degrees, intensifying droughts and wildfires. High temperatures amplify toxicity and worsen the health effects from air pollutants, elevating the risks of asthma, dementia, reproductive harms, cancers, and other ill effects.
Mr. Zeldin’s proposal is a gift to the fossil fuel and petrochemical corporations, but for the rest of us it is a reckless attack that will harm our children and jeopardize their futures.