GreenLatinos encouraged as EPA releases new rules reducing vehicle emissions, a policy that will save lives in frontline communities

WASHINGTON— Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed new light- and heavy-duty vehicle (LDV and HDV) tailpipe emissions standards. These standards apply to vehicles beginning with Model Year 2027. Transportation is the leading and fastest growing sector contributing to greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S, accounting for nearly 30% of our total emissions.

In response, GreenLatinos Sustainable Communities Program Director, Andrea Marpillero-Colomina, issued the following statement:

"We are heartened to see the Biden Administration taking strong action to reduce vehicle emissions – a crucial tool to address the climate crisis and protect public health.

Vehicle emissions literally make us sick and kill us. Nationwide, Latino/es experience disproportionate exposure to fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) emissions, leading to higher rates of asthma, lung disease, heart disease, and other pollution triggered conditions, which can be fatal. Nearly one third of Latino/e children nationwide live in counties where hazardous air pollutant concentrations exceed a 1 in 10,000 cancer risk level.

Heavy-duty vehicles spew harmful diesel pollution, degrading air quality and contributing to the climate crisis. Trucks make up less than 10% of vehicles on the road, but are responsible for nearly 30% of transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions. For Latino/e communities, the implementation of stringent HDV standards is particularly urgent; Latino/e communities are disproportionately pollution burdened and more likely to live in ‘diesel death zones’ where truck emissions create greater risk of lung disease, asthma, and cancer.

Strong tailpipe emissions standards for booth LDVS and HDVs are necessary to mitigate impacts of environmental racism and provide relief to frontline communities living in freight corridors and adjacent to major roadways. By finalizing the strongest possible LDV and HDV standards, the EPA can effectively address the inequitable pollution impacts borne by Latino/e communities and mitigate lived impacts of environmental racism.

Enacting the strongest possible long-term standards will reduce car and light truck emissions by 75% by 2030, and holds huge potential to significantly improve health and wellbeing for all people and our planet."

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GreenLatinos (NOTE: GreenLatinos is ONE WORD) is an active comunidad of Latino/a/e leaders, emboldened by the power and wisdom of our culture, united to demand equity and dismantle racism, resourced to win our environmental, conservation, and climate justice battles, and driven to secure our political, economic, cultural, and environmental liberation.