By: Stephanie Reese, Director DEIJ & Strategic implementation, 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 Stephanie Reese, from Woodbridge, Virginia, and I am the Director of DEIJ & Strategic implementation at Moms Clean Air Force, an organization of over 1.5 million parents and caregivers united to fight against air pollution and climate change. I appreciate your time and the opportunity to testify today.
I am here to express my support for the Advanced Clean Cars II regulations adopted by California and other States, including Virginia. Stronger transportation standards are crucial in protecting the health of our children and communities.
As many of you may already know, the transportation sector is the largest source of climate pollution in the US, responsible for nearly one-third of greenhouse gas emissions. Within the transportation sector, light-duty vehicles are the largest contributor. Vehicles are also a major source of dangerous pollutants like particle pollution and nitrogen oxide (NOx), which are harmful to our health.
According to EPA, more than 45 million people in the U.S. live within 300 feet of a major roadway or transportation facility. I live in Northern Virginia, in very close proximity to a major highway. In fact, I live less than 2 minutes away from I-95. Every day this exposes me, my family, friends and neighbors to high amounts of tailpipe emissions. These emissions from light and medium duty vehicles mean that we are constantly breathing in harmful pollutants.
As a mother I worry about the exposure to these pollutants that my 2 sons are dealing with everyday as they are playing outside, or on their way to school; pollutants that have been linked to lung damage and other respiratory problems. Because children are still growing, they are more vulnerable to the effects of these pollutants. My 7-year-old son often tells me that he has trouble breathing. To say I am concerned about my son’s ability to do something as fundamental as breathing, because of air pollution is an understatement. I can clearly see the connection between cleaner vehicles and cleaner air, and a healthier environment for my children to play in.
Whether it’s communities like mine—or the nearly 120 million Americans living in neighborhoods with failing grades for air quality, I firmly believe that we need stronger clean car standards.
Strong standards, like the Advanced Clean Cars II regulations, would put us on the road to a cleaner and healthier future. Approving the waiver for these regulations is a crucial step in ensuring that states like Virginia can take the necessary steps to combat climate change, fostering a safer and more sustainable future for our children, grandchildren, and generations to come. There is no time to waste in addressing this critical issue.
Thank you again for the opportunity to testify today.