Good morning, Thank you for the opportunity to speak today. My name is Stephanie Reese, and I am the Director of Strategic Implementation and Justice with Moms Clean Air Force, and along with 1.6 million parents, caregivers, and family members, we work to protect our children’s health from the impacts of climate change and air pollution. That is also why I am here speaking today, to share my concerns and urge EPA to protect the Power Plants Carbon Rule, and make sure that strong climate pollution standards for power plants remain in place to protect our children from the harmful effects of climate change, which is driven by greenhouse gas emissions from sources like fossil fuel power plants.
As a mom of two boys, who play outdoors, sun, rain or snow, I know firsthand the importance of reducing climate pollution. Climate pollution is heating up the planet, which is in turn exacerbating poor air quality. Smog forms more easily on hot days, and climate change is increasing conditions that favor more dangerous and intense wildfires, which generate lung-harming smoke that can travel thousands of miles from its source. When you watch your children playing and the air quality is so bad it’s hard for them to catch their breath, that’s hard, and not something any parent wants to see happen to their children. But many of us are seeing it more and more each day. Air pollutants like smog and wildfire smoke are beginning to make everyday outdoor activities harder.
This is not only about protecting my children’s health, but the health of people across the United States. Power plants account for roughly a quarter of our nation’s climate pollution, with about 60% of electricity still generated by burning fossil fuels like coal and natural gas. Dangerous climate impacts like extreme heat, more intense wildfires, and stronger storms threaten the well-being of children, the elderly, pregnant individuals, people with disabilities, low-income communities, and communities of color.
In April 2024, the Biden EPA finalized the Carbon Rule to limit climate pollution from new gas-burning power plants and existing coal plants. But EPA’s current proposal puts these protections under attack, and we can’t allow this progress to be undone. EPA must not repeal climate pollution protections for power plants. The Carbon Rule provides essential safeguards for our health, our environment, and our future.