Deena Tumeh

"The Trump EPA’s decision to drop this enforcement case leaves the St. John community without sufficient federal protection, and it leaves them at the mercy of industry. It allows these emissions to continue harming people who've already been breathing it for years. The Trump EPA claims to care about Americans’ rights to clean air, but if it did, it wouldn't be dropping an enforcement case like this one where pollution is at its worst. The reality is that communities like St. John need more protection from the federal government, not less."

"The executive order frames the right to clean air and water as a 'merit-based opportunity' — that is frankly dystopian."

"Most commercial and industrial waste incinerators across the country operate subject to outdated and flawed toxic air pollution standards or none at all. Communities living near these incinerators have suffered the health consequences of exposure to many toxic air pollutants, including lead, which has no safe level of human exposure.”

“Communities shouldn’t have to sue EPA to compel the agency to do its job, but this, especially the health emergency in St. John, has reached the point where suit is needed to ensure EPA fulfills its duty to protect public health.”