By: Erandi Treviño, Texas State Coordinator, Moms Clean Air Force
Date: May 2, 2023
About: Environmental Protection Agency Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2022-0985
To: Environmental Protection Agency
Good afternoon. My name is Erandi Treviño. I am the Texas state organizer for Moms Clean Air Force, and I live in southeast Houston.
The EPA’s proposed multipollutant emissions standards for light- and medium-duty vehicles (“clean cars standards”) are an important step forward in protecting our families from dangerous tailpipe pollution, which is a significant contributor to climate change and other harmful health impacts. We need strong greenhouse gas standards to better protect children, people with asthma, older adults, and other vulnerable groups from the harmful effects of climate change. Parents across the country want to see a rapid transition to zero-emitting trucks, to provide a stable climate and cleaner air for our children and our communities.
My multi-generational home in Southeast Houston sits immediately next to a large 18-wheeler parking lot on one side. I can easily see them over the fence, smell them, and sometimes even taste the fumes and exhaust. To the other side, there is a demolition company, and on the other, a crate company. The fourth side is a small road that sees a lot of movement from heavy-duty trucks all day long. My home is surrounded on all four sides. As I worked on preparing my notes, I could hear crates beeping and trucks moving in and out of my neighborhood. Some days a big wave of dust from their activities washes over our home, and every day, we hear the heavy-duty trucks operating and 18-wheelers idling next door.
My youngest niece is three, and she has severe allergies and breathing problems that sometimes disrupt her sleep. My seven-year-old niece has eczema and, in her young life, already has anxiety about extreme weather events. My mother and I both have fibromyalgia. We often experience shortness of breath and a heavy pressure on our chest.
Southeast Houston is known to have poor air quality. The location of the Houston Ship Channel, the refineries, and other industrial facilities make the region vulnerable to excessive pollution.
Air pollution from trucks is a major public health problem—one that zero-emitting trucks can help address. According to EPA, more than 45 million people in the US live within 300 feet of a major roadway or transportation facility, and 72 million people live within 200 meters of a truck freight route. People of color and those with lower incomes are more likely to live near truck routes.
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is also critical to addressing the climate change impacts on Houston and Harris County as a whole. My county sees some of the highest occurrences of extreme weather events in the country. We grew up with Hurricanes but we now have to deal with freezes and even tornados! During Hurricane Harvey, so much water poured onto our communities that my mom’s home flooded and many people, including my oldest niece, had PTSD for years. In the aftermath of winter storm Uri, many people, including me, struggled to recover from the emotional and financial strains that came with it.
More than 40% of Americans—over 135 million people—live in places with unhealthy levels of air pollution. Moving is not the solution. The solution is to address the root of the problem.
Once again I urge EPA to finalize the strongest possible standards this year consistent with the Advanced Clean Trucks rules. We need strong standards to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and they must put our national bus and truck fleet on a clear path to 100% zero-emission all-electric vehicles as quickly as possible.