By: Melody Reis, Senior Legislative and Regulatory Policy Manager, Moms Clean Air Force
Date: January 10, 2024
About: Advanced Clean Cars II Program
To: Environmental Protection Agency Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2023-0292
Hello. My name is Melody Reis. I am the Senior Legislative and Regulatory Policy Manager for Moms Clean Air Force, an organization of over 1.5 million moms, dads, and caregivers who have united to fight against air pollution and climate change. Thank you for the opportunity to testify at this hearing.
As you’re no doubt aware, the transportation sector is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the US, responsible for nearly 1/3 of all emissions. And light-and-medium duty vehicles, like the passenger cars and light trucks that many of us drive as we go about our everyday lives, are responsible for the bulk of this climate pollution.
In addition to their effect on climate, vehicles are also a significant source of air pollution, including nitrogen oxides – or NOx, which react in the atmosphere to form ground-level ozone, also known as smog.
Ozone is a dangerous pollutant that has been linked to lung damage and respiratory problems. Children, whose lungs are still growing, are among the populations most vulnerable to the harms of ozone pollution.
I live in the DC area, where high ozone days are a common occurrence in warmer months. In fact, in the American Lung Association’s latest State of the Air Report, the DC Metro region received an F – a failing grade – based on the number of high ozone days in recent years.
High ozone days require parents, teachers, and other caregivers to ask difficult questions. We’ve all heard that kids benefit from being outdoors and breathing fresh air. But what if your air has received a failing grade from the American Lung Association? Do the benefits of outdoor play still outweigh the risks?
Strong standards, like the Advanced Clean Cars II regulations adopted by California, would put us on the road to a cleaner and healthier future. That’s good news for me because DC, Maryland, and Virginia, which make up the DC Metro region, have also adopted these standards. That’s good news for the millions of Americans who are breathing polluted air. It’s good news for the multitudes of families and communities that are living with the effects of a changing climate: record-setting heat, droughts, floods, and storms. And it’s especially good news for those who live near highways - often communities of color and low-income communities - where tailpipe exhaust is inescapable.
The time to act is now. We have readily-available technologies that would cut harmful emissions, reduce climate impacts, and improve health outcomes across the country. I support the Advanced Clean Cars II regulations, both for California and other states wishing to follow its lead, and I urge this administration to approve the waiver. Thank you again for the opportunity to testify.