This week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a proposal to repeal two critical standards on air pollution. This would rollback safeguards on mercury, heavy metals and other hazardous pollutants, as well as climate warming carbon pollution from fossil fuel power plants across the country. These measures will set the health and safety of our communities back, further exposing vulnerable populations to dirty and unsafe air and water.
In response, YECA National Organizer & Spokesperson, Lauren Kim released the following statement:
In March and April of 2024, YECA applauded a series of life-saving plans by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to cut carbon pollution from power plants and ensure a cleaner environment for all. Today, a year later, we see rollbacks of the carbon pollution standard as well as the Mercury and Air Toxics standard (MATS) that has successfully reduced mercury and other hazardous pollutants that threaten public health, especially the health of marginalized. communities YECA laments the potential loss of these necessary safeguards which defend life, God’s creation, and our communities. Further, YECA is dismayed by EPA’s overarching move to rollback more than 30 health protections. We call on the EPA to stay true to its mission to protect human health and the environment and prioritize mission-critical work that upholds the sanctity of life and the wellbeing of God’s creation rather than repeal successful pollution safeguards that have saved lives and improved health. There is no compromise when it comes to toxins such as mercury, arsenic, chromium, soot, and excess climate-warming carbon in our air. Sanctity of life is never negotiable.
