By: Elizabeth Hauptman, Michigan Field Organizer, Moms Clean Air Force
Date: July 8, 2025
About: Environmental Protection Agency Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2025-0124-0001
To: Environmental Protection Agency
Hello, my name is Elizabeth Hauptman, and I live in Livingston County, Michigan. I’m a field manager with Moms Clean Air Force—and most importantly, I’m a mom. I’m here today to urge EPA to protect, not repeal, the Carbon Rule. The health of our families and the well-being of our communities are at stake.
Fossil-fueled power plants are responsible for nearly a quarter of climate pollution in the United States, pollution that is heating the planet and supercharging extreme weather. And here in Michigan, we are already seeing the dangerous impacts of climate change.
Global warming is increasing the risk and intensity of wildfires. A couple of years ago, wildfire smoke from Canada blanketed our skies. My son, who has asthma, struggled to breathe. We had to rush him to urgent care. Watching him fight for air with teary panicked eyes was one of the scariest moments of my life. No parent should have to wonder if it’s safe for their child to go outside.
This winter, an ice storm devastated parts of the Upper Peninsula, leaving families in the dark and cold. And this spring, tornadoes started touching down in March—far earlier than we’re used to—and they’ve continued to strike our state, causing widespread damage and fear.
These events aren’t normal anymore. Because of human-caused global warming, they’re becoming more intense, more frequent, and more dangerous.
The Carbon Rule is a vital safeguard. Cutting climate pollution from power plants will not only help protect our planet—it will also reduce harmful air pollutants like soot and smog that directly affect our lungs, especially the lungs of children. It will save lives, prevent asthma attacks, and reduce missed school days.
Our children are growing up in a world where air quality alerts, weather disasters, and climate anxiety are becoming the norm. We owe it to them to act. The decisions we make today will shape the world they inherit.
Please stand firm. Protect the Carbon Rule. Protect our air. Protect our children’s future. Thank you.