By: Danielle Berkowitz-Sklar, National Field Events 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
Hello. My name is Danielle Berkowitz-Sklar, and I am the National Field Events Coordinator for Moms Clean Air Force, a community of over 1.5 million caregivers that have joined forces to protect the health of children and youth from climate change and pollution.
I’m grateful for the opportunity to testify today in support of finalizing the EPA’s strengthened Mercury and Air Toxics Standards as quickly as possible.
My family lives in California, where my parents relocated after raising me in Costa Rica. Having spent my earlier years in a rural town in Costa Rica, I have fond memories of driving home from a morning spent on the coast and indulging in the catch of the day with my four siblings. However, as a pediatrician, my mother instilled in us an awareness of the interconnectivity between public and environmental health from an early age.
I vividly recall my mother from the US explaining that she was always very mindful of the type and quantity of fish we would consume due to the risk of mercury poisoning. As young children, we failed to fully grasp the gravity of her concerns. However, I now understand the implications, especially since we regularly consumed fish sourced from the nearby ocean.
However, exposure to mercury is not a matter of choice for many people. To learn (very recently) that in the United States, the main source of this highly toxic heavy metal is coal-fired power plants was really incredible.
Communities across the US are being exposed every day, with those of color and lower-incomes bearing the heaviest burden of contaminated food. Indigenous communities in which fishing is an integral part of their culture and where fish is consumed more frequently than the general population, are at an increased risk of exposure. Black communities residing in the Southeast who live below the poverty line and rely on fish they catch for sustenance are also disproportionately exposed to this toxic metal.
Mercury contamination poses a clear and undeniable threat to human health, with no acceptable level of exposure in water, air, or soil. The benefits of implementing mercury protections to curb pollution and mitigate its adverse effects on human and environmental health are also very clear.
By reducing mercury emissions, we can prevent harm to vital organs in adults, including the brain, heart, kidneys, lungs, and immune system. Additionally, we can protect the developing brains of infants and safeguard children's ability to learn, speak, and walk.
I appreciate the opportunity to speak today and voice my support for implementing stringent mercury and air toxics standards as quickly as possible. It is critical to prioritize the health and safety of families across the country, and this rule represents a significant step in that direction. Thank you for your work and for your time today.