PEOPLE’s Hearing on Extreme Weather

On June 26^th, several community members concerned about extreme weather caused by climate change and its impact on our community met at South Mountain Community College for the Extreme Weather People’s Townhall. Attendees included health professionals, veterans, youth, local officials and many concerned citizens.  Two workgroup members, Pat VanMaanen and Paloma Greenwald spoke and provided official statements in this press release. We are pleased that nurses are invited and participating in these events to help highlight the direct link between climate and health; both nurse presenters addressed extreme heat, an important topic now that we are entering our ‘heat season’ in Arizona.

YOUR ACTION IS NEEDED!

THE EPA WANTS TO REPEAL TWO CRITICAL CLIMATE POLLUTION PROTECTIONS!  

ALL OF US ARE NEEDED TO SUBMIT A COMMENT ON BOTH OF THESE REPEALS.

On June 11, 2025, the EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin signed proposals to repeal two critical climate pollution standards that protect our air. The first would eliminate all greenhouse gas emissions standards for fossil-fuel-fired power plants—among the largest sources of climate pollution in America. And the second would dismantle standards that restrict dangerous mercury and other toxic pollutants from power plants. These proposals are based on the false claim that emissions from these facilities do not contribute significantly to dangerous air pollution, directly contradicting decades of established science and abandoning the EPA's fundamental mission to protect public health.

Both proposals threaten to undo regulations that prevent 230,000 premature deaths each year and have delivered $2 trillion in health and economic benefits since 1990. We cannot allow political ideology to override scientific evidence when human, animal, and planetary health hang in the balance!

Please act now by customizing and personalizing each message to reflect your experience and concerns. 

➡️1. REGISTER TO ATTEND THE HEARINGS ANDREGISTER TO TESTIFY AT THE HEARINGS TOO!

The fossil fuel industry will be lining up their speakers, so we need to line up ours! Spaces will fill in 24-48 hours quickly, please submit a request to speak (you will need to submit requests for each hearing if you want to participate in both).

🚨 The EPA will hold a virtual public hearing for Carbon Pollution from Power Plants (docket ID: EPA-HQ-OAR-2025-0124-0001) Public Hearings will be held on July 8, 2025. 

Please sign-up here to testify or attend.

Our partners at Climate Action Campaign have prepared a Carbon Pollution Testimony Toolkitto support you.

🚨 Virtual public hearing for Mercury and Air Toxics Standards

(docket ID: EPA-HQ-OAR-2018-0794-6978) Public Hearings will be held on July 10th, 2025.

Please sign-up here to testify or attend.

Our partners at Climate Action Campaign have prepared a MATS Testimony Toolkit to support you.

SUBMIT COMMENTS ON BOTH PROPOSED REPEALS.

WE HAVE LESS THAN 45 DAYS TO MAKE OUR VOICES HEARD!

➡️ 2. Customize ECA's pre-written message and submit your comment to the to the Federal Register for the Carbon Pollution from Power Plants Rule,CLICK HERE.

Or submit a commenton you own here.Deadline for comments August 7th.

➡️ 3. Customize ECA's pre-written message and submit your comment to the to the Federal Register for Mercury and Air Toxics Standards proposed repeals,CLICK HERE.

Or submit a commenton your own here.Deadline for comments August 10th.

What We Are Reading & Listening to Now

• America’s Hot Garbage Problem (Bloomberg)
• APS to send money back to customers, how much will you receive? (AZCentral)
• TEP rate increase likely to sail through ACC (Arizona Daily Star)
• 2 state agencies argue ACC is improperly pushing policies (AZ Capitol Times)
• Proposed changes in spending bill could affect renewable energy in Arizona (AZ Family)
• Environmental group praises SRP for coal plant transition, asks for more renewables (Fountain Hills Times Independent)
• We’re going backwards’: Trump rollbacks threaten climate change progress (KJZZ)
• Should I turn off my AC when I’m away, what you need to know (AZ Central)

Join Us: Webinars & Events

• July 8^th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Speaking Out in Challenging Times: Working With the Media and Media Relations Departments Register
• July 9^th: 9:00 am – 10:00 am (AZ): Healthy Horizons: Addressing Environmental Health for Children and Adolescents with Disabilities Register
• July 10^th 10:00 am – 11:00 am (AZ): Addressing Substance Use Risk in Extreme Heat Register
• July 15^th: 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm (PST): Extreme Heat Adaptation in Indigenous Communities: Regional-level Solutions Register
• July 22^nd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Harnessing the Power of Social Media: Using Different Platforms Strategically Register
• July 24^th: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (ET): Extreme Heat & Health: Clinical and Public Health Strategies for Prevention and Action Webinar with free CEUs Register
• July 30^th: 10:00 am – 11:00 am (AZ): Extreme Heat & Workforce Health: Navigating Policy and Preparedness. Register
• August 5^th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): 3.0 Weighing in on Public Discourse: Working with Local and State Papers Register
• August 19^th: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Fighting Misinformation: Discussing the Realities of Fossil Fuels, Climate Change and Health Register
• September 2^nd: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (AZ): Making Your Voice Heard: Influencing Decision-Making in Likely and Unlikely Places Register

   

  Join the ANHE West Regional Forum Today!

   

  Don’t forget to join the ANHE Regional Forums! Over 700 ANHE members in Arizona, California, and Nevada are committed to ensuring access to healthy food, water, air, and soil for all communities. The Regional Forums will host events, share information about current developments, and create opportunities for nurses to communicate with their legislators and with one another regarding issues in environmental health.

  Join Today

   

  Recordings

• June 2^nd: Global Heat Action Day: Local Solutions to Protect Communities Recording
• The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health: 2024 Communication Training Sessions Recordings
• May 14^th: Mitigating Heat-Related Health Risks in Arizona Recording
• March 6^th: Tap Water Affordability in Arizona Recording
• February 5^th: Region 9 Pacific Southwest Center for Emergency Public Health: Heat Surveillance, Preparedness Strategies and Community Response Webinar featuring LA County and Maricopa County Recording
• Recording: Webinar with author and Pediatrician Debra Hendrickson on her new book The Air They Breathe: A Pediatrician on the Front Lines of Climate Change. Recording.
• Recording from December 10^th’s webinar: Perspectives on Plastic Lifecycle Series: Plastics Use and Demand Recording.
• Recording from December 11^th’s webinar:A panel discussion on Extreme Weather in Arizona Recording.
• Recording from 3^rd Annual National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Meeting 2024 Here

Thank you for joining us in making a healthier planet today!