By: Stephanie Reese, Director, Strategic Implementation and Justice, 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
Hi. My name is Stephanie Reese, and I'm from Northern Virginia. I am the Director of Strategic Implementation and Justice at Moms Clean Air Force—an organization of over 1.6 million parents and caregivers united in protecting children from air pollution and climate change.
I’m also the mother of two very active boys, but I remember being pregnant with them, and the doctor warning me against eating anything containing mercury—because they knew, as I now know, that mercury is a dangerous and deadly neurotoxin that permanently damages a baby’s brain. This damage can lead to developmental delays, learning disabilities, behavioral problems, and birth defects. Unfortunately, mercury exposure doesn’t only cause brain damage, it can also cause heart attacks or other cardiovascular problems.
This is not just a personal concern; it’s a public health crisis. We need the stronger mercury and air toxics protections that were finalized by EPA last year.
Mercury and other toxic air pollutants are released into the environment largely by coal-fired power plants. Once in the air, mercury settles into our waterways, contaminates fish, and makes its way into the fish families eat—especially those in communities that rely on fishing for food and culture. Power plants also release other toxic air pollutants like arsenic, lead, and other heavy metals that can cause disease and premature death.
These harms are not felt equally. The toll of air pollution falls heaviest on low-income communities and communities of color—often because they live near industrial sites or depend on fish as a regular part of their diet. This includes many Indigenous communities, who may be disproportionately exposed to mercury pollution when fishing is central to their food systems, cultural identity, or livelihoods.
That’s why the recent updates to MATS, finalized last year, are so critical. These updates help reduce emissions of mercury from lignite coal plants, and they also help reduce emissions of other harmful air pollutants like soot, nitrogen oxides (NOx), and carbon dioxide (CO2)—a powerful climate pollutant. These pollutants don’t just poison our air and water—they deepen existing health and environmental injustices.
We also need the updated MATS's strong accountability measures that require continuous emissions monitoring at coal plants. Right now, many facilities only conduct short, periodic “stack tests,” that really don’t reflect day-to-day pollution levels. Real-time monitoring ensures accurate data and protects public health, and it’s critical that we don’t roll back this updated protection.
Moms Clean Air Force has been advocating for strong mercury protections for over a decade. We strongly oppose EPA’s proposal to repeal recent updates to the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards. There is no safe level of mercury.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak today.