By: Elizabeth Hauptman, Michigan Field Organizer, Moms Clean Air Force
Date: January 8, 2025
About: NOx New Source Performance Standards, Docket # EPA-HQ-OAR-2024-0419
To: EPA
Good morning. My name is Elizabeth Hauptman, and I am a resident of Michigan and Moms Clean Air Force's Michigan Field Organizer. I am also a mom to a child with asthma, and I’m here today to speak about the urgent need to strengthen protections against nitrogen oxide, or NOx, pollution.
NOx pollution is not just a statistic for my family—it’s a personal reality. My son’s asthma makes him particularly vulnerable to the health impacts of poor air quality. Last year, during a stretch of high pollution days, we had to rush him to urgent care. Watching him struggle to breathe was one of the most terrifying experiences of my life. Unfortunately, experiences like this are not rare for families in my community.
Michigan, and particularly my congressional district, District 8, suffer from some of the highest levels of NOx emissions in the country. NOx is a dangerous pollutant that contributes to smog and soot, which harm not only those with asthma but also pregnant people, seniors, and even healthy children. Breathing in NOx pollution can cause inflammation, trigger asthma attacks, and lead to emergency room visits. For children like my son, who is still growing and developing, the risks are even greater.
I appreciate EPA’s efforts to update the New Source Performance Standards for NOx for gas-fired power plants. These updates are long overdue—the current standards date back to 2006, and technology has advanced significantly since then. I also appreciate the proposed rule’s use of selective catalytic reduction technology and continuous emissions monitoring. However, I urge the agency to go further. We know that gas-fired power plants can achieve even greater reductions in NOx emissions, and our children and communities deserve the strongest protections possible.
I also want to emphasize the disproportionate impact of NOx pollution on environmental justice communities. In many cases, communities of color and low-income neighborhoods bear the brunt of this pollution. Strengthening NOx standards isn’t just about cleaner air; it’s about ensuring all families, regardless of where they live, have the chance to thrive in a healthy environment.
In closing, I urge EPA to finalize the strongest possible standards for NOx emissions for gas-fired power plants. This is not just a policy issue—it’s a matter of public health and justice. Please act swiftly and boldly to protect children like my son and families across the country.
Thank you for your time.