By: Ida Sami, Arizona 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
Hi. My name is Ida Sami, and I am here to express my support for the EPA’s proposed clean trucks standards. I am the Moms Clean Air Force field coordinator in Arizona, and I hold a PhD in environmental Science.
I support strong greenhouse gas standards for heavy-duty vehicles. HDVs are the second-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector, which is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. Greenhouse gasses trap heat in the atmosphere and cause global warming, which threatens our health, our economy, and our environment.
The proposed rule will also speed the transition to zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) for heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) such as trucks and buses. ZEVs are fully electric vehicles that do not burn fossil fuels and do not have tailpipe emissions of greenhouse gasses or other pollutants. By switching to ZEVs, we can reduce our dependence on oil, save money on fuel and maintenance, and most importantly, protect our children from the harmful effects of air pollution and climate change.
Here’s why the proposed rule matters for children’s health: Heavy-duty trucks are a major contributor to smog and soot pollution, which can cause asthma attacks, respiratory illnesses, heart disease, cancer, and premature death. Children are especially vulnerable to air pollution because their lungs are still developing and they breathe more air per pound of body weight than adults. These pollutants also disproportionately affect low-income communities and communities of color located near highways, ports, warehouses, and other freight hubs. According to the EPA, 72 million people live near truck freight routes in America.
The proposed rulemaking, alongside the other rulemakings that are part of the Clean Trucks Plan, will take advantage of the growing availability of zero-emission vehicle technologies and the historic investments from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
I urge the EPA to adopt the most stringent and ambitious standards consistent with the Advanced Clean Trucks rules possible as quickly as possible. Strong safeguards will save lives, improve health, fight climate change, and advance environmental justice. It is time to act. We need clean trucks now.
Thank you for your attention and consideration.