By Sarah Sharif
I recently traveled to Washington, DC, along with volunteers from Arkansas and Texas to pay a visit to Janet McCabe, Acting Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation, at the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) headquarters. We met with her and her staff on November 26 to discuss the importance of a strong haze rule to protect our national parks and refuges and to submit 9,000 locals voicing their concern.
Texas haze pollution is causing damage to remarkable vistas in EPA classified Class I areas in Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. Class I areas are designated locations where the visibility must be protected.
Haze in these areas is created from pollution emitted in large quantities by Texas coal-fired power plants. As an organizer for the Sierra Club in Austin, Texas, I am continuously working with folks across all three states to have their voices heard on this issue. Texas has to be held accountable for the haze pollution that is ruining our treasured areas such as Big Bend National Park, the Guadalupe Mountains, the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, and the Caney Creek Wilderness Area in the Ouachita National Forest. Haze pollution does not respect state boundaries, and obstructing breath-taking views in neighboring states is categorically unfair.
In our meeting, Lon Bozarth from Texas shared his tale of love for Big Bend National Park, having a lifetime of experience hiking various peaks, trekking down valleys, sifting through desert sand, and rafting down the Rio Grande. Lon invited McCabe and her staff to experience the vividly beautiful bluebonnets in the springtime. With Big Bend being so far from civilization, the remote park is seen as a serious getaway for the travelers that want to venture into nature.
Photo Credit: Sierra Club, Sarah Sharif - Wichitas Mountains, OK
Dr. Ilias Kavouras stressed that Arkansas is known as the “natural” state. Growing up in Greece, Ilias has experienced multiple environments and vistas, but he found it shocking that he was unable to see cities that were just a few miles away when driving to viewpoints in the Ouachitas, let alone the entire state. Ilias also talked about his research about connecting air pollution to human health issues at the University of Arkansas College of Public Health.
When we delivered these two stories first hand, we delivered an additional 9,000 gathered from people across all three states who want a strong regional haze rule. We hope that we have shown the EPA that there is an immense amount of support. It seems unfair that the agency could let pollution from some of the oldest coal-fired power plants in Texas cloud our national treasures.
Photo Credit: Sierra Club, Sarah Sharif - Wichitas Mountains, OK
When I reflect on our trip to DC, I know that we are collectively doing our best to defend our American gems. We all have a story to share about our personal connection to these beautiful wilderness areas, and I hope that we have inspired you to share yours. Every petition, every memory, and every voice have a part to play in making sure our national parks are protected.
Share your story of enjoying our national parks, refuges, or wilderness areas in Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, and speak up for their protection.
Please contact me at (650) 862-8779 or sarah.sharif@sierraclub.org.
-Sarah