Support Impacted Communities – Demand Cumulative Impact Assessments for Polluting Projects

Introduction:
Hello, my name is [Name], and I’m a constituent from [City/Town]. I’m calling today to express my strong support for HB 109, also known as the Cumulative Impacts Bill. This bill is critical for protecting our overburdened communities from the harmful health effects of cumulative environmental pollution and its serious impacts on our health. 

Why This Matters:
Communities like Chester City are already overwhelmed with pollution from multiple industrial sources: the largest trash incinerator in the US, Kimberly-Clark factory, sewage sludge incinerator, PQ and Evonik chemical plants, Marcus Hook refinery next door and others

Current federal air, water and soil quality standards regulate the pollution releases of each site individually. They do not consider their combined effects. As a result, we residents are experiencing numerous damaging impacts — impacts that we can literally smell, taste, and hear in our everyday lives.

Do you know how much the combined impact of all of this pollution is negatively impacting our health? (mention health stats below or talk about your personal experiences with cancer/asthma, pollution, etc.)

• Rates of childhood asthma in Chester are 5x the national average 
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease caused by air pollution are highly elevated in large portions of Chester City and Delaware County. *
• The adult annual crude incidence rates of nearly two dozen different types of cancer are very highly elevated in our region as compared to the US National average rates.*
• Adult cancer incidence rates range from 10% to 300+% higher than the US averages.*
• Low life expectancy is above the 90th percentile

Many constituents and their families are prematurely losing their lives and suffering!

Key Points:

• HB 109 – the Cumulative Impacts Bill — is very important. By regulating toxic pollution, it will reduce the incidence of the diseases that are damaging our lives and killing us. It will do this by giving the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) the authority to consider permits for new or expanding industrial facilities in terms of existing levels of pollution in our communities. Currently, existing pollution levels are not considered! 
• It will allow residents to have a voice, and policymakers to fully understand how any new polluting facility will further impact residents’ health. 
• It will create a more transparent and fair permitting process to protect the health of us all, including workers at these facilities. 
• It upholds our rights in Article 1, Section 27 of the PA Constitution, which declares that all PA residents have a right to clean air, clean water and the preservation of our health and lives.

Conclusion:
I urge you to support HB 109. This bill represents a crucial step toward upholding the constitutional right to a clean environment and healthy lives for all Pennsylvanians. If passed, this legislation will protect public health and serve as an important model for other states grappling with similar challenges. Thank you for taking the time to listen, and I appreciate your consideration. We need your support!