When I had my daughter Jen many decades ago, I dreamed of raising her in an environment free from pollution. Realizing that dream became a lifelong struggle, as the effects of climate change have led to increasingly unhealthy air . Today, however, my community in Arizona is taking a figurative and soon-to-be literal breath of fresh air because the Biden administration just took serious action to curb deadly pollution emanating from our power sector.
In late April, President Biden announced new
federal standards to limit mercury, coal ash, and carbon pollution spewing from existing coal-fired power plants and new gas-fired power plants. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
projects that by 2040, these standards, along with investments from the Inflation Reduction Act, will reduce carbon pollution in the power sector by more than 83% below 2005 levels. The standards represent an investment in our future that will pay dividends in improving health outcomes. The EPA predicts that by 2035 we can expect to see approximately
1,200 avoided premature deaths; 870 avoided hospital and emergency room visits; 1,900 avoided cases of asthma onset; 360,000 avoided cases of asthma symptoms; 48,000 avoided school absence days; and 57,000 lost work days. We should take note of this important milestone. It is rare that we have news from Washington to celebrate.
As someone who grew up with chronic sinus and respiratory issues and has lived in areas with poor air quality for most of my adult life, I know just how much our air quality can impact our health. Over the years, I have battled adult-onset asthma, respiratory issues, chronic inflammation, immune dysfunction, and stage 4 cancer. The effects of each of these
conditions have been made worse by dirty air.
Today, my daughter and I are deeply involved in local efforts to create a healthier and more livable environment for our family and our community (I am now fortunate to not just be a mother, but also a grandmother and a great-grandmother). Jen works with Elders Climate Action here in Arizona and nationally and I organize with Moms Clean Air Force. Our
changing climate - which is fueling Arizona’s increasingly regular extreme weather episodes - tells us there is no time to wait.
Cutting down on carbon pollution will make a lasting impact on our environment and our health in the long term. But for many of us, we don’t have time to wait for change to happen. That’s why I am grateful to the EPA for tackling pollution from all angles.
The urgency of taking action is even greater for communities of color and low-income communities that are most
heavily impacted by multiple types of pollution . Across the country, power plants have
dumped coal ash into nearby waterways causing havoc in local ecosystems and polluting water sources. Thankfully, the coal ash standards will protect communities by requiring the
cleanup of at least 389 sites that have either legacy coal ash ponds or old, unregulated landfills. This is the kind of immediate relief these communities have needed for decades.
As with all forms of progress, we can expect opponents to come out of the woodwork and attack these new standards, essentially to protect the interests of big polluters. As a lifelong environmental activist and mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, I am doing all that I can to ensure that the generations that come behind me are able to lead happy and healthy lives. If my decades of environmental activism have taught me one thing, it is that we must work together to address the challenges of pollution and climate change. Let us remain steadfast in our resolve to build a more sustainable and equitable future for generations to come.
Hazel Chandler is the founder of the Arizona Climate Action Coalition and national steering-committee member for Elder Climate Action.
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