As an Obgyn who has practiced in
SF for over 36 yrs, I am writing you to fulfill your duty to
protect us, your constituents from the
harmful effects of air pollution and developing actions to fight
climate change. The 2022 Climate Change Scoping Plan does neither.
Climate
change is a public health emergency. The science is clear, we have
a terrifying short time frame to stop burning fossil fuels and must
not invest in building new fossil fuel infrastructure, yet the
draft plan proposes increasing gas-fired power generation (by 10
gigawatts equivalent to 30 new, mid-sized gas-fired power plants).
This is a step backwards. The fossil fuel industry wants California
to give them billions of dollars in subsidies for risky,
ineffective climate deadends like Carbon Capture technology that
allows them to continue to pollute. CALGEM scientific advisory
panel has clearly stated, the most effective
way to protect public health from oil and gas operations
is to stop drilling and developing new wells, and
phase out existing oil and gas development activities and
associated infrastructure. As a health
professional, I know first hand the effects that living near oil
drilling sites can have on a person's health. For my pregnant
patients. they have an increased risk of preterm
labor and delivery and small for gestation size. Exposure to air pollutants from
early life may be associated with an increase
in stress oxidative, inflammation and endothelial dysfunction which
in turn might have long term effects on chronic non-communicable
diseases. You need to protect my vulnerable pregnant patients and
their babies so they will have a health future. We need to stop
burning and investing in fossil fuels NOW!
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