We're live-blogging from the EPA public hearing in Houston...
The EPA is currently accepting public comments on proposed new ozone standards. This will make the air we breathe cleaner and our communities healthier, but the EPA is facing fierce opposition from the coal industry and its allies. Today's Houston hearing is one of only three across the country (the other two are in Virginia and California), so this is a great opportunity to to create real change in public policy.
The Sierra Club and the Clean Air Texas Coalition organized a successful press conference this morning, and we're hosting a clean air rally this evening. Please tell all your friends and family in Houston to join us at the Hilton Hobby Hotel at 7:00pm.
Thanks to everyone who has shown up so far. It's been inspiring to see so many Texans come out in support of clean air. Houston is the energy capital of the world, and it speaks loudly that so many Houstonians haven taken a stand in favor of clean air. If you can't make it to today's hearing in person, then please go to www.cleanairtexas.org and submit your public comment online.
Also, check out the preview video we created to help spread the word about today's hearing.
EPA PUBLIC TESTIMONY - LIVE BLOG UPDATES:
10:05 a.m. - Karen Dier
10:10 a.m. - Ron Hayden
10:15 a.m. - Ted Steichen, American Petroleum Institute
10:20 a.m. - Ryan Rittenhouse, Public Citizen
10:25 a.m. - Janice Nolen, American Lung Association
10:30 a.m. - Matt Tejada, Galveston-Houston Assoc. for Smog Prevention
10:35 a.m. - Sen. Mario Gallegos
10:40 a.m. - Robert Malina, No Coal Coalition
11:45 a.m. - Eva Hernandez, Sierra Club
11:50 a.m. - Wendi Hammond, SEED
11:55 a.m. - Dr. Neil Carman, Sierra Club
12:00 p.m. - Gabriel Clark, Environmental Integrity Project
12:05 p.m. - Laura Blackburn, League of Women Voters
12:10 p.m - Dan Buda, Office of State Sen. Wendy Davis
12:15 p.m. - Mayor Annise Parker
12:20 p.m. - Debbie Hastings, Texas Oil & Gas Assoc.
12:25 p.m. - Patrick McVain
12:30 p.m. - Donal Cook
12:35 p.m. - Deron Paterson
2:10 p.m. - Sen. Rodney Ellis
2:15 p.m. - Robert Levy
2:20 p.m. - John White
2:25 p.m. - Thomas Weber
2:30 p.m. - Jennifer Wilde
2:35 p.m. - Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy
2:40 p.m. - Tashica Miles
2:45 p.m. - Christin Napskinski, Ph.D
2:55 p.m. - State Rep. Kristi Thibaut
3:00 p.m. - Joel Anderson
3:05 p.m. - Walt Baum, AECT
3:10 p.m. - Pete Belle
3:15 p.m. - Ken Flippin
3:25 p.m. - Bill Crosier
3:25 p.m. - Stephanie Cole, Sierra Club
3:30 p.m. - Kate Fischer
Our environmental coalition has shown up in full force today. An overwhelming number of people signed up to speak today have endorsed the stronger ozone air quality standards. There have been a few representatives from the oil and coal companies, but it's clear that we have the grassroots advantage. Texas families want clean air!
Check out our twitter feed, and stay tuned to this diary for more updates on which speakers show up to testify this afternoon. Also, stay tuned for photos from the today's event...
(Disclaimer: Diary posted on behalf of the Clean Air Texas coalition.)
UPDATE 2:
People are still coming to testify, and it looks like almost every single speaking slot will be filled before tonight's 7:30pm deadline.
3:45 p.m. - John Yaiber
3:50 p.m. - Nancy Russell
3:55 p.m. - Nancy Murphy
4:00 p.m. - Jim Schembeck, Downwinders at Risk
4:05 p.m. - Nancy Lomax
4:10 p.m. - Scott Johnson
4:15 p.m. - Deborah Shaffo
4:20 p.m. - Lev Guter, Sierra Club
UPDATE 3:
Still going strong!
4:30 p.m. - Melany Oldham
4:35 p.m. - Dr. Bonnie New, Health Professionals for Clean Air
4:40 p.m. - Rosalia Guerrero-Luera
4:45 p.m. - Sharron Stewart, Public Citizen
4:50 p.m. - Rick Haigwood, CNG-NGV Solutions Inc.
4:55 p.m. - Stephanie Nugent, Sierra Club
5:00 p.m. - Erin Hickok
5:05 p.m. - Shaun Bickley
5:10 p.m. - Donna Hoffman, Sierra Club
UPDATE 4:
Almost every person is speaking in favor of clean air!
5:15 p.m. - Dr. David Marrack
5:20 p.m. - Jim Lester, HARC
5:25 p.m. - David Bradley, 350.org
5:30 p.m. - Jon Boyd
5:35 p.m. - Rob Clifton, Arch Wind
5:40 p.m. - A.J. Davis
5:45 p.m. - Angelita Sanchez
5:50 p.m. - Dr. Harold Farber, Pediatrician
FINAL UPDATE:
6:25 p.m. - Scarlett Russell
6:30 p.m. - Albert Sosa
6:35 p.m. - Michael Drab
6:40 p.m. - Anna Fisher
6:45 p.m. - Stephen Kent
6:50 p.m. - Josh Malone
6:55 p.m. - Jim Williams
7:00 p.m. - Bridget Jensen
7:05 p.m. - Gracen Sheni
7:10 p.m. - Phil Wall
7:15 p.m. - Carondelet Dember
7:20 p.m. - Dione Aguine
7:25 p.m. - Alejandro Savransky, Environment Texas
7:30 p.m. - Anatoia Ozain
7:35 p.m. - James Rinf
7:40 p.m. - Judy Emerson
7:45 p.m. - Art Browning
7:50 p.m. - Ian Davis, Sierra Club
Thank you to everyone who showed up today to make your voice heard. Normally, these kinds of public hearings get around 30-50 people. But today, the EPA officials confirmed that we had over 100 people show up to provide official testimony. This is one of the biggest turnouts the EPA has seen in several years!
Given that this public hearing was announced only a couple of weeks ago, it's truly amazing that so many Texans were willing to come out during a weekday on such short notice. In addition to everyone who signed up for the official testimony, we had lots more folks show up and submit written comments and attend our press conference and rally. In total, over 250 people participated in today's event!
Let's keep up this momentum, so tell your friends they have until March 22 to submit their public comment online. This is a great opportunity to clean up our air for the next several decades, so spread the word!
(The list above is a partial speaker list, so stay tuned for the official EPA speaker schedule once they publish it online.)