By: Liz Hurtado, National Field Manager, Moms Clean Air Force
Date: July 10, 2025
About: Environmental Protection Agency Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2018-0794-6978
To: Environmental Protection Agency
Good afternoon. My name is Liz Hurtado, and I am a national field manager for Moms Clean Air Force and its Latino engagement program, EcoMadres. I am also a proud Latina mother of four living in Connecticut.
I’m here today to strongly oppose EPA’s proposal to repeal recent updates to the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards.
As a mother, I know there is no such thing as a “safe” amount of mercury exposure. Mercury is a potent neurotoxin, especially dangerous for pregnant women, infants, and young children. During each of my pregnancies, my doctor advised me to avoid eating large fish due to mercury contamination because exposure can cause irreversible brain damage in developing babies.
Mercury can also lead to lifelong disabilities, development delays, and behavioral issues in children. These are devastating outcomes, especially because mercury pollution is entirely preventable.
But the burden of mercury and toxic air pollution is not shared equally. Low-income communities and communities of color, including Latino neighborhoods, are disproportionately impacted. This is the legacy of decades of discriminatory policies that continue to harm our families today. Many Latinos live near power plants and industrial facilities that pollute the air our children breathe.
In fact, nearly two in five Latinos live within 30 miles of a power plant. Behind that statistic are real people—families raising children, working hard, and simply trying to breathe clean air. Over a million Latinos also fish for food, recreation and connection to our roots. Yet many are unaware that the fish they catch may be contaminated with mercury, largely because health warnings are not provided in Spanish or shared in culturally relevant ways.
We must do more to protect the health of these communities. Clean air and access to vital health information shouldn’t depend on where you live or what language you speak.
I urge EPA to uphold these important protections, so that every child can grow up healthy and thrive.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify.