By: Laurie Anderson, Colorado Field Organizer
Date: June 3, 2026
About: Docket No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2025-3297
To: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
My name is Laurie Anderson. I am a Colorado Field Organizer with Moms Clean Air Force from Broomfield, Colorado.
On behalf of Moms Clean Air Force and families across Colorado, I am urging you to NOT delay or roll back critical safeguards on tailpipe pollution from light- and medium-duty vehicles. Maintaining the current standard ensures the dual benefit of providing regulatory certainty for car manufacturers while also helping protect the health of our children and communities from tailpipe pollution.
As a mom of five, I am concerned that the health of future generations, including our own children, will be significantly more impacted by pollution than we are today. One of the most basic and crucial things we can provide to families is clean air for children to breathe – it is the least we can do for them, yet communities like mine are struggling when it comes to clean air.
I live in the Denver Metro/North Front Range ozone nonattainment zone which has been downgraded to “severe” nonattainment. Here, we contend with NOx emissions from heavy vehicle traffic, along with VOC emissions from oil and gas development, which results in many high ozone days all summer long - days when our air is unhealthy to breathe. On these ozone action days, we, as parents, must keep our kids couped up indoors, rather than letting them play and run outdoors. To bring our area into ozone attainment, we must reduce pollution from both upstream oil and gas operations, as well as reduce tailpipe pollution.
Several years ago, recognizing the benefit of leading by example, I purchased my first EV – a Nissan Leaf - to reduce my family’s tailpipe pollution. I knew this would be a lifestyle change, and I have never regretted that decision. In fact, my husband and I just purchased a second EV – a Tesla Model Y - this time with greater range.
Our local governments, along with developers, are also embracing this change which is noticeable by the increased availability of charging stations – and combined with the increased range – range anxiety is becoming a thing of the past. EV ownership is now more realistic than ever. Our communities are ready – and embracing – the change to EVs and cleaner vehicles. Boulder now reports that 12% of all registered vehicles are electric. That is not surprising as EVs are efficient, low-maintenance, perform exceptionally well – even in cold weather and on our steep mountain roads – and they are a pleasure to drive.
The future we only once imagined is becoming reality by automakers as they drive forward with EV innovations – and cleaner gas-powered and hybrid vehicles as well. And we can continue building momentum toward a world where tailpipe pollution is no longer a leading source of ozone and soot pollution by maintaining the current standards.
So, again, I urge EPA to protect the light- and medium-duty vehicle standards. Please protect our health and our future by rejecting efforts to delay or roll back these important safeguards. Thank you for this opportunity to testify.