By: Danielle Berkowitz-Sklar, National Field Events Coordinator, Moms Clean Air Force
Date: May 3, 2023
About: Environmental Protection Agency Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2022-0985
To: Environmental Protection Agency
Hi. I’m Danielle Berkowitz-Sklar, and I am the National Events Coordinator for Moms Clean Air Force. I’m grateful for the opportunity to testify in front of EPA today in support of finalizing the strongest possible greenhouse gas standards for heavy-duty trucks consistent with the Advanced Clean Trucks rule this year. This is an important step toward protecting the health of children and vulnerable communities from air pollution and climate change.
As a Miami-born person raised in Costa Rica and having spent more recent years with my family in California, I have witnessed the multifaceted impact of climate change from various geographical and social perspectives. The compounding effects of climate change have exacerbated existing vulnerabilities and inequalities, further highlighting the urgent need for action.
In California, wildfires have become more frequent and severe in recent years, largely due to climate change, which has caused hotter and drier conditions. Fires are also extending past the traditional fire season and lasting throughout the year, destroying homes, farmland, forests and wildlife, and causing significant air pollution, which poses health risks for residents.
A few years ago, my family temporarily evacuated our Northern California home due to wildfires just a few miles away, which also caused short- and long-term health concerns, particularly for my asthmatic brother. The situation was frightening for parents trying to keep their children safe. However, many families and communities lack the ability and resources to leave their homes, even temporarily, when threatened by climate-related disasters.
As we know, these events have a disproportionate impact on communities of color and on those living and working on the frontlines. When it comes to wildfires, Latinos face a higher risk than the general population due to being twice as likely to live in threatened areas. Additionally, Latinos are overrepresented in the outdoor workforce, facing a difficult choice between continuing to work through unsafe conditions to sustain their livelihoods and families or protecting themselves. The risk is significant, as outdoor workers are 35 times more likely to die from heat—which can be intensified by climate change—than the general population.
In the US, the transportation sector accounts for 27% of our total greenhouse gas emissions, and heavy-duty vehicles are the second-largest contributor to these emissions.
Not only will this rule directly limit GHG emissions to fight climate change and its devastating health impacts, but it will result in a more rapid transition to zero-emission vehicles which will reduce tailpipe pollution, which is also harmful to our health. This decision on truck pollution now will have a positive impact for decades to come.
I appreciate the opportunity to speak today and voice my support for implementing stringent greenhouse gas regulations for heavy-duty vehicles that align with the Advanced Clean Trucks rule to safeguard the health of families worldwide. We are depending on the EPA to protect present and future generations by finalizing this rule with the urgency the moment demands. Thank you.