For Immediate Release

Press Contact: Kristian Ramos, KristianR@mifamiliavota.org

Washington D.C. – Following the release of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) final standard updating the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for soot pollution, Héctor Sánchez Barba, the President and CEO of Mi Familia Vota (MFV), released the following statement: 

“Latinos are among the largest members of frontline communities that are suffering from the effects of soot pollution. Multiple studies have found that Latino communities are exposed to higher concentrations of soot pollution than white and non-Hispanic populations. With Latinos facing 52% additional soot-attributable premature deaths, compared with White Americans had 13% fewer deaths. 

As such, we are heartened to see that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is introducing tightened standards on soot pollution.  This will reduce harmful pollution and clean up our air. It will save lives, improve public health outcomes, including reducing cases of asthma and frequency of hospital visits, and cut down on missed work and school days resulting from these health challenges. 

Finally, we would like to take this time to thank Sen. Alex Padilla (CA), Rep. Raúl Grijalva (AZ-7), Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ-3), and Rep. Steven Horsford (NV-4)  for their support of this new rule. We will continue to fight for the policy priorities of our community and ensure that our community has breathable air. ” 

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About Mi Familia Vota: Mi Familia Vota is a national civic engagement organization that unites Latino, immigrant, and allied communities to promote social and economic justice through citizenship workshops, voter registration, and voter participation. Mi Familia Vota operates in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, and Texas.