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PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE !13th CONGRESS ENERGY & COMMERCE COMMITTEE 

UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CHAIRMAN FRED UPTON 

•• The Cliinate 

Reality Project 

TESTIMONY CONGRESSIONAL RECORD 

® VOLUME211ERS PART911ERS 

(PAGES 1 TO 5) 

STATEMENT OF EDRICHUS R SYKES 

The Climate Reality Project, Climate Ambassador and Building Physician 

http:// PIPSPnter s. cl i matereal ityr r·oject_ o rg/p resent er/ ed r1c:h u :-.-sykes .34/4 

JULY 29, 2014 

PURE GREEN COATINGS LLC 

171 GRIFFIN STREETNW ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30314 
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. 4. The Climate 

Reality Project 

PROCEEDS AND DEBAlES OF 113~ CONGRESS 

ENERGY & COMMERCE COMMITIEE 

UNITEDSTAlESHOUSEOFREPRESENTATIVES 

CHAIRMAN FRED UPTON 

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The docket number for this rule is: Docket No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2013-0602 for the Oean Power Plan for Existing 

Sources) and EPA-HQ-OAR-2013-0630 (for the Carbon Pollution Emissions Standard for Modified Sources) 

Vol. 211 A1LANTA, TIIURSDAY, JULY 29,2014 No. 911 

The Legislative hearing held The Omni Hotel at CNN Center North Tower, M4 

Grand Ball Room E & B, 190 Marietta St NW Atlanta, Georgia 30303 

On Tuesday, July, 29, 2014 at 4:40p.m. EST 

Written Statement for the Congressional Record 

Before the United States Environmental Protection 

Agency U!f!:~_A.<o.(.'_J.lJ.Illc_r~_c_(~<_>Dlllll\.lCc' 

United States House of Representatives 

Chairman Fred Upton 

The Subcommittee on Energy and Power, chaired by Rep. Ed 

Whitfield (R-KY), today held a hearing to examine EPA's 

proposed new carbon dioxide regulations for existing power 

plants Proposed Rule on Carbon Pollution Emission Guidelines 

for Existing Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating 

Units "THE PRESIDENT'S CLIMATE ACTION PLAN TO 

CUT CARBON POLLUTION IN AMERICA" 

July 29th 2014 

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The docket number for this rule Is; Docket No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2013-0602 ~d EPA-HQ-OAR-2013-0630 Author: Edrfchus Hemond Sykes 
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..... The Climate 

Reality Project 

PROCEEDS AND DEBATES OF 113~ CONGRESS 

ENERGY & COMMERCE COMMIT1EE 

UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

CHAIRMAN FRED UPTON 

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Chairman Upton, Ranking Member Whitfield, and members of the Subcommittee, thank you for convening this hearing 

and for inviting the Climate Reality Project to testify. I am Edrichus R. Sykes, Building Physician, Climate 

Ambassador and Founder of Pure Green Coatings Limited Liability Corporation a Service Disabled Veteran Small 

Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Historically Underutilized Business Development Zone Enterprise, and 

I am honored to be here today. Our shared vision a world re-engaged; living, working and playing in harmony with 

nature. I have submitted my full statement to the committee, which I ask be made part of the hearing record. I will now 

glVe a brief opening statement. 

I am present by choice and desire to help the committee with jurisdiction over Energy and Power. My involvement 

in this cause is not simp! y a career endeavor and it is more than my family history-as if that would not be enough--

but it is a painful result of the many stories I hear from struggling families across our country. I need to do something, 

we need to do something--and I beg you to make the most of the present opportunity and make it happen now. I urge 

adoption of new carbon dioxide regulations for existing power plants Proposed Rule on Carbon Pollution Emission 

Guidelines for Existing Stationary Sources. 

Pure Green Coatings, LLC doing business as A I Pure Green was formed in March 2008 to provide energy 

conservations measures that result in energy or fossil fuel savings. Today, our network consists of more than 3,000 

followers and friends across the country. Our Sustainability and Self-Sufficiency services include a toll-free hotline 

staffed by certified, licensed and bonded energy performance contractors; Energy VitalsTM, a free energy dashboard 

for low income and middle class families; professional sustainability training programs; Disabled, Veterans, Teens 

and Senior support; Free bench mark of current buildings energy performance; and grants to service organizations 

as well as respite grants to families in need to Save Money, Energy and our Planet! 

A I Pure Green is expanding worldwide by teaming with Non-Governmental Organizations like Intellectual 

Decisions on Enviromnental Awareness whom is forming member organizations in various countries. PGC is an 

outgrowth of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, and its member community partners include The 

Climate Reality Project, Sierra Club, National Cares Mentoring Movement- Atlanta Cares Circle, Citizens Climate 

Lobby, Georgia Institute of Technology Advanced- Technology Development Center, Green Chamber of the South, 

United Way of Greater Atlanta, Urban League of Greater Atlanta. I serve as the Building Physician and CEO of Pure 

Green Coatings a Limited Liability Company headquarter in Historic In town Community of Vine City within 

Neighborhood Planning Unit L 

AI PureGreen is working toward collaboratively setting a paradigm of energy performance for individuals suffering 

from Carbon pollution which is driving climate disruption and we're all paying the cost. We're paying for it in dollars 

for higher healthcare bills. We're paying for it in lives devastated by extreme weather events. We're paying for it in 

lost jobs and in every way imaginable. We can't afford these costs any longer, and it's time to take action by raising 

awareness of our campaign to support the Enviromnental Protection Agency's Clean Power Plan and other landmark 

federal, state, and local initiatives to cut carbon pollution and replace dirty fossil fuels with clean, renewable energy. 

The Climate Reality Climate Leadership Corps campaign The People vs. Carbon, founded by former Vice President 

and Noble Laureate N Gore is providing education, and establishing programs and services that can be replicated in 

countries around the globe. Solar-bundled energy conservation measures result in energy or fossil fuel savings. 

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The Climate 

Reality Project 

PROCEEDS AND DEBATES OF 113~ CONGRESS 

ENERGY & COMMERCE COMM!TIEE 

UN11ED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENT AIIVES 

CHAIRMAN FRED UPTON 

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The Climate Reality project goals include: advocating to making a Historic Proposal a Historic Law. The EPA has 

done its job drafting a plan that points the way forward for our climate, our health, and our economy. Now it's up to 

us citizens to work together through The People vs. Carbon so this landmark measure becomes law. Make known that 

on June 2014, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released its Carbon Pollution Standards: Clean Power Plan 

Proposed Rule a national priority; working in partnership to advance The People vs. Carbon as a global health crisis 

that requires worldwide attention; promoting public awareness establishing state goals for reducing carbon dioxide 

emissions from existing power plants; improving quality of life for individuals living within Empowerment Zones and 

Renewal Communities Neighborhood Planning Unit; and raising the bar on performance based employees consisting 

of displaced youths, seniors, disabled and homeless veterans and their families, provided by independent contractors 

living within "High Poverty" Public Use Mico Data Area. 

Accomplishing these goals include: educating families and professionals about Green Collar Career Pathways. Our 

proposed new and emerging Cleantech green collar jobs skills training will benefit non-custodial parents in State 

of Georgia Fatherhood and Problem Solving Court Programs, Disabled and other Veterans, low and moderate 

income, unemployed/underemployed, dislocated workers, people with disabilities, high school dropouts and people 

with criminal records living in the NPU and PUMA areas. We excel at utilizing High Impact Federal and State 

Hiring Programs. 

The President's Climate Action Plan released by Executive Office of the President June 2013 last year was a 

groundbreaking first step toward cutting carbon pollution in America. However, it's no secret that the U.S. is behind 

the curve of several other countries that already have Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Renewable Energy Plans in 

place or in process. We have a lot of homework to do but we can learn a lot from what has already been done 

overseas-both in planning and in political commitment. 

The next crucial step is for the plan to provide the U.S. with the moral authority and leverage necessary to take a 

leadership role in the upcoming Climate Summit 2014 to be held by the United Nations in New York this September, 

as well as the following U.N. climate change conferences in Lima, Peru 2014 and Paris, France 2015. These talks aim 

to produce a legally binding and universal agreement on greerthouse gas emissions reduction to replace the Kyoto 

Protocol and offer a global roadmap for climate action in the years ahead, and strong U.S. leadership is vital to the 

agreement's success. an international meeting of those countries by the first quarter of 2012. The Climate Reality 

ProJect and AI Pure Green would be honored to serve as supporting partners in such an effort and would be glad to 

work with EPA and others. Climate Reality applauds EPA for adopting the adopting the President's plan, the U.S. 

offers a show of good faith- coupled with concrete action to back it up- that it's committed to addressing climate 

change independent of other nations' involvement. The EPA's plan may also serve as a model to other countries on 

how they can enact structural change without triggering a recession or economic st.agnation - and in fact how they 

may even sustain or boost growth as a result. 

In low income families' view, the international meeting would ideally mean nothing because of evection notices, rent 

due, late notice, benefits stopped and how other countries have approached their plans and would produce less carbon 

emissions is farthest things from their minds. Such a meeting would help us develop our plan and help us begin to 

develop a global approach to this pandemic. The meeting would also include a day or more of panel discussions on 

est.ahlished policies as well as innovative energy efficiency programs abroad as well as those in the U.S., of which 

there are many. There is little doubt we can get there faster by reviewing what has already been done, what has been 

successful, and what to avoid. 

The docket number for this rule Is: Docket No. EPA·HQ·OAR-2013~2 and £PA·HQ..OAR·2013-06l0 Author: Edrfchus Remond Sykes 
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The Climate 

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PROCEEDS AND DEBATES OF I I3fu CONGRESS 

ENERGY & COMMERCE COMMITTEE 

UNTIED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENT A liVES 

CHAIRMAN FRED UPTON 

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"Gifted and talented children are those identified by professionally qualified persons who by virtue of outstanding abilities 

are capable of high performance. These are children who require differentiated educational programs and/or services 

beyond those normally provided by the regular school program in order to realize their contribution to self and society" 

Marland, 1972. 

One example that the U.S. can learn from is the award-winning Pathways out of Poverty Green Construction Program 

which was available in DeKalb County. In Training Partnership with Goodwill of North Georgia and Pure Green 

Coatings developed and trained Green Construction, Weatherization and Solar Panel Installation. 

An independent report by Analysis Group, supported by funding from the Energy Foundation and the Merck Family 

Fund, EPA's Clean Power Plan: States' Tools for Reducing Costs and Increasing Benefits to Consumers. The report 

evaluates the Clean Power Plan- proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on June 2, 2014- from 

the perspective of how it might impact consumers. The report examined how states' plans to control carbon emissions 

may affect owners of affected power plants, other market participants in the electric industry, and, in turn, consumers 

of electricity. The paper examined one particular carbon control program- the Northeast states' Regional Greenhouse 

Gas Initiative - that has been in operation for several years, to illustrate how such carbon-control compliance costs 

and benefits have evolved over the initial years of that program. The paper also reviews the normal ratemaking 

practices and other regulatory policies in states across the country that are designed to mitigate rate impacts of 

investments and program costs affecting production and delivery of power to consumers. The goal of the Report was 

to reflect on recent experience to outline the tools states have to control costs and increase consumer benefits as they 

develop their plans. 

An AI Pure Green team of multi-professionals brings Deploying Clean Energy services and activities right into the 

family home. Cuttmg Energy Waste in Homes, Businesses, and Factories. Reducing Other Greenhouse Gas 

Emissions working grassroots to the Federal Level to as a Climate Leader in Clean Energy. 

Georgia has laws and practices in place to protect its utility customers. In Georgia State Code §46-2-20c, the law states 

that the Public Service Commission "may, either by general rules or by special orders in particular cases, require all 

companies under its supervision to establish and maintain such public services and facilities as may be reasonable and 

just." 

EP As Clean Power Plan provides palliative case for action for The United States for the impacts of Climate Change 

but not guidance on divestment to end of life issues for the coal and other harmful fossil fuels industries. And if we 

do things right, an international movement will follow. 

I'm going to end with a quote from John Lewis, a writer who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, in 

2010. He said, "I say to people today, 'you must be prepared if you believe in something. If you believe in 

something, you have to go for it. As individuals, we may not live to see the end." AI Pure Green Coatings AI Pure 

Green and The Climate Reality Project looks forward to working with Members of the Subcommittee to address 

the important issues raised in today's hearing. Thank you again for the opportunity to testify, and I would be glad 

to answer any questions. 

The docket number for this rule Is: Docket No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2013..()6()2 and EPA-HQ-OAR-2013-0630 Author: Edrlchus Remond Sykes