By: Elizabeth Hauptman, Michigan State Coordinator, Moms Clean Air Force
Date: June 13, 2023
About: Environmental Protection Agency Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2023-0072
To: Environmental Protection Agency
I’m Elizabeth Hauptman. I live in Livingston County with my family, and I’m the state coordinator with Moms Clean Air Force Michigan. We have over 34,000 members here in Michigan and over a million and a half nationally fighting for clean air and climate action for the sake of our children’s health and future. Thank you for taking my testimony today.
Just a few weeks ago, we held a small press conference, asking folks to contact EPA and demand stronger protections from coal and gas power plants. Our group of speakers included climate activists, a college professor, the president of Monroe Community College, and me. This event took place at the Monroe power plant in Monroe, Michigan. This power plant is the third-largest emitter of pollution in the United States and a huge source of carbon pollution.
Many miles before my exit, I could see these two huge towers belching immense bellows of carbon and other air toxins into the air. As I drove closer to the public fishing dock and launch, where our press conference was held, I was filled with a sense of foreboding. You see, it was a poor air quality alert day, and I was about to stand less than 200 yards away from these two intimidating dirty stacks. My heart sank when I pulled up to see families fishing so very close to this power plant’s two smokestacks that are releasing climate-warming greenhouse gases, dangerous particle pollution, smog-forming nitrogen oxides, and other toxic air pollutants, all of which harm children’s health and disproportionately impact communities already overburdened by pollution. These frontline communities—often communities of color and lower-income communities—are the same ones that will sustain the first and worst impacts of climate change. Although the presser only lasted an hour, in that short amount of time my lungs ached from the poor air quality due to our proximity to the two towers. I cannot imagine how difficult it is for children and families living under those dangerous emitters of harmful air pollution daily.
According to the American Lung Association, 12 counties in Michigan have failing air quality grades. Monroe, as well as the city of Detroit, have asthma hospitalization rates significantly higher than the state as a whole, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Childhood asthma rates are significantly higher for children of color. Latino children are twice as likely to die from asthma, and Black children are 10 times more likely to die from asthma than white, non-Hispanic kids. Children who live near power plants find that their illnesses are exacerbated by pollution.
Fossil-fueled power plants are responsible for almost one-quarter of the climate pollution generated by the US. Michiganders are experiencing more extreme and hotter weather each year and our Great Lakes are warmer faster than the oceans. We cannot wait to ACT on climate; time is running out.
I support the Carbon Rule and am calling on EPA to finalize the strongest possible standards to help protect our families from the harmful pollution that contributes to climate change and impacts health. EPA must strengthen community input and safeguards in the final version of this rule. Thank you.