By: Erandi Treviño, Texas state coordinator, Moms Clean Air Force
Date: January 12, 2023
About: Environmental Protection Agency Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2021-0317
To: Environmental Protection Agency
Good afternoon, thank you for the opportunity to share my comments with you today. My name is Erandi Treviño, and I am the Texas state coordinator for EcoMadres, the Latino outreach program of Moms Clean Air Force. We fight for Justice in Every Breath, recognizing the importance of equitable solutions in addressing air pollution and climate change.
I support the updated EPA methane rule and urge a finalization of the strongest rules to protect children’s health from all sources of oil and gas pollution, especially routine flaring which is a prominent pollution source in Texas.
My family lives in a multigenerational home in Houston where we are impacted by the poor air quality due to many sources such as oil and gas operations, oil refineries, petrochemical facilities, and the Houston ship channel. My four year old niece suffers from severe allergies and breathing problems that often disrupt her sleep. My mother and I both have fibromyalgia and a series of other chronic conditions that are made worse by air pollution. We live here because this is where our work and family is located. Other families live here because they may not have the financial means and support system to move somewhere with better air quality.
What makes this tragic reality an injustice is that air pollution from sources such as oil and gas operations is not distributed evenly. Methane and other accompanying pollutants such as volatile organic compounds add to the burden of existing pollution problems in communities of color and low-income communities, exacerbating inequities and putting families at increased risk of serious health issues. Air pollution from the oil and gas industry can increase the risk of adverse birth outcomes such as low birth weight, preterm birth, and birth defects.
According to a study published in 2020, living near oil and gas flares in the Eagle Ford shale located in south Texas was associated with a 50 percent higher chance of preterm birth and shorter gestation periods, as compared with mothers who were not exposed to gas flares. These findings were observed almost entirely among Hispanic women. This is an injustice and environmental racism. For the health of all Hispanic mothers and their babies, EPA needs to eliminate all pollution from routine flaring at oil and gas sites in the final rule.
Not only does oil and gas pollution impact health, it also contributes to the climate change impacts we are experiencing in Texas. More frequent hurricanes, powerful winter storms, and extreme heat all further contribute to the public health impacts that have hit hard in Houston. My family’s home was flooded during hurricane Harvey and our home was damaged during winter storm Uri. The boil notice that lasted for days left my family without basic needs such as potable water. This past summer my family experienced the hottest July on record in Houston. The hot summer days turned into high ozone days causing my mother and I to struggle with shortness of breath and days of incapacitating fatigue. During high heat days, my family is fortunate enough to be able to turn on air conditioning. However, due to a condition called Raynaud's Type 2, the air conditioning causes my blood vessels to severely restrict my blood supply triggering my fibromyalgia. That means that during those five weeks of 100 degree weather, I had to sacrifice my health.
I am urging EPA to go further by finalizing rules that protect children from all sources of oil and gas methane pollution and eliminating all pollution from routine flaring. Latino children deserve clean air to breathe.
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