By: Tracy Sabetta, Ohio State Coordinator, Moms Clean Air Force
Date: February 23, 2023
About: Environmental Protection Agency Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2015-0072
To: Environmental Protection Agency
Good afternoon and thank you for the opportunity to offer remarks today. My name is Tracy Sabetta, and I am the State Coordinator for Moms Clean Air Force in Pickerington, Ohio, just outside of Columbus. I am the mother of one daughter, and a lifelong resident of the Buckeye State. Today, I wanted to take this opportunity to urge the US EPA to set standards for particle pollution that are no higher than 8 micrograms per cubic meter for the annual standard and no higher than 25 micrograms per cubic meter for the 24-hour standard. Those of us working in the public health community in Ohio are extremely disappointed that EPA’s proposed standards fall short. Stronger standards are key to protecting the health of Ohio’s children and communities, and it is urgent that you take this opportunity to act now.
According to a recent report by health scientists at Environmental Defense Fund, fine particle air pollution is responsible for more than 110,000 deaths in the US each year from heart attacks, strokes, diabetes and respiratory diseases. Ohio is listed among the top ten states with the most particle pollution deaths per capita. And these harms are not distributed equally. The report determined that this kind of air pollution, primarily generated by burning fossil fuels, is especially rampant and deadly in Black, Hispanic and low-income communities. The most startling statistic is that Black seniors in the US are three times more likely to die from exposure to fine particulate pollution than their White counterparts.
In addition to communities of color, those living in urban areas with an abundance of factories and industrial activity see disproportionately negative impacts from particle pollution. People experiencing poverty are 49 percent more likely to live in areas that exceed the national standards on soot, and people of color are more than six times more likely to visit the ER for asthma-related issues.
According to the US Census Bureau, Cleveland and Detroit are statistically tied as the poorest large US cities. It is no coincidence then that the most recent American Lung Association “State of the Air” report found that Cleveland’s overall air quality has worsened while so much of the country has seen improvements. For short-term spikes in particle pollution, Cleveland’s ranking worsened to 58th most dangerous. The city has seen some improvement for year-round particle pollution, and that improvement cannot be jeopardized by missing this opportunity to enact the strongest possible standard. Cleveland is using federal funds to increase air quality monitoring in the city and make air quality advancement a priority in their sustainability plans. Now they need your help to bring them over the finish line.
I grew up in the small town of Ashtabula, Ohio, in the northeast corner of the state, right on Lake Erie. My father was a boiler operator in a large chemical factory that was located next to a coal-burning power plant. The air and water quality in Ashtabula while I was growing up was dismal, and as a child I was almost as accustomed to seeing “no swimming” or fishing advisories as I was the beautiful sunsets over the water. My older brother had asthma, and I remember him struggling with trying to work jobs outside in the summer. He eventually had to quit and work lower-paying jobs just to be able to breathe.
That was many years ago and we have come a long way, but we still face air quality issues today. The EPA must now move quickly to finalize the strongest limits on particle pollution as soon as possible. I am urging EPA to set a more protective standard for soot of 8 micrograms per cubic meter for the annual standard and 25 micrograms per cubic meter for the daily standard.
Every day that passes without these protections is a missed opportunity to protect our health, advance environmental justice, and reduce other dangerous pollution from these sources. Our communities, our children, and our families deserve action now. On behalf of the 89,000 members of Moms Clean Air Force in Ohio, thank you for your attention.