Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Environmental Protection Agency Public Hearing on the Clean Power Plan Proposed Rule 1595 Wynkoop St. Denver, CO

Good afternoon. I am Dr. Robert Moss, senior pastor of Lutheran Church of the Master in Lakewood, Colorado, testifying on behalf of the Lutheran Advocacy Ministry-Colorado, a ministry of the Rocky Mountain Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. I appreciate this opportunity to speak today.

My denomination as well as my own congregation have a deep history of care for our environment, both locally and globally. We recognize the responsibility we all have as caretakers of our environment, and acknowledge that as a human community we have been lacking in fulfilling this responsibility.

For us as Lutheran Christians, addressing environmental concerns is part of what it means to live as responsible caretakers of the earth. We are pleased to join the conversation from an economic, scientific, political, and spiritual perspective, as these are all aspects of joining God in God's mission of caring for and renewing the earth. I believe that support for the Clean Power Plan Proposed Rule to regulate and reduce carbon emissions is part of our responsibility.

CO2 is the most significant greenhouse gas causing climate change, and coal combustion causes 30% of CO 2

pollution. More than 70% of the electricity received in Colorado comes from coalfired power plants. We are a large producer of carbon emissions, contributing to climate change.

In addition to so many other reasons why this matters, I want to remind you that climate change is already affecting global agriculture, and therefore food supplies and prices. Through no fault of their own, impoverished people, who are the most vulnerable because they rely solely on growing and selling a small crop for daily life, are losing their ability to sustain themselves. Alleviating hunger and global poverty are major concerns for me as a person of faith. Carbon emissions directly and adversely affect the hungry and poor about whom we are so deeply concerned, here in Colorado as well as around the globe. Continued climate change makes hunger and poverty issues an even larger challenge to deal with.

In the case of my own congregation in Lakewood, one way that we are addressing hunger and poverty issues as well as helping those others most vulnerable to climate change is by reducing our own carbon footprint. We performed an energy audit to find ways to reduce our power needs. We've changed all the lighting in our building to CFL and halogen. We turned off water heaters that were rarely used and eliminated high energy appliances. Not only do several households in our congregation now receive electricity through solar power, but our church building itself is solar powered. As of this morning, in the time we've been utilizing solar power, we have saved 55.3 tons of CO 2

from being released into the environment; which doesn't even include the pollutants produced from the mining, transportation, and the refining of the coal. Compared to the 2 billion tons of CO 2 emitted annually by power plants in the United States that may not seem like a lot, but every little bit makes a difference. The Clean Power Plan will certainly have a real impact on reducing CO 2 emissions, thereby saving lives, helping hungry and poor peoplein the U.S. and around the world, and bringing relief to millions of the vulnerable elderly and

other people with breathing difficulties.

It is my hope that the Clean Power Plan will be one more step in an ongoing movement of reclaiming our environment, thereby saving lives, saving the environment, and improving health and sustainability for people here and around the world.

Thank you again for this opportunity to speak to this important issue.

Rev. Dr. Robert G. Moss Lutheran Church of the Master 14099 W. Jewell Ave. Lakewood, CO 80228

Email: daelcarev@gmail.com