Testimony of Richard Koetting Before the Environmental Protection Agency 

Regarding the Clean Power Plan 

Denver, CO 

July 30, 2014 2:25pm 

Good afternoon. My name is Richard Koetting. I am the Business Manager 

of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 667 in 

Pueblo, Colorado. On behalf of the active members and retirees of Local 667, I 

thank you for this opportunity to testify regarding the EPA's Clean Power Plan. 

MEW Local 667 is a utility local union that represents members at Black 

Hills Energy, San Isabel Electric Association, and Asplundh Tree Experts in job 

classifications ranging from customer service, to tree trimmers, to journeyman 

lineman and until December 31, 2012 - coal plant personnel. 

I saw an article published in the Washington Post last week titled "The Cost 

of Climate Change — How not to shut down coal plants." As a resident of Pueblo, 

the article really hit home for me and made me want to testify at this hearing even 

more — to caution the EPA - do not make the same mistakes Colorado has. The 

residential rate per kilowatt-hour for Black Hills Colorado Electric has risen about 

26% since 2010. On a per-household basis, Pueblo and other community's rates 

are now among the highest in the entire state. 

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Why this drastic change in electrical rates in Colorado? Years before the 

EPA began heavily regulating the coal industry, Colorado put into place 

Amendment 37 (2004), a 30% renewable energy standard for IOU's, and HB 

1365(2010), Clean Air Clean Jobs Act. While this shift of electric generation in the 

state from coal to renewables and natural gas has brought some good paying shortterm jobs to the area, it does not come close to offsetting the economic effects of 

the loss of long-term jobs and the crazy increases in electric rates. 

This drastic increase in electricity has hit my town of Pueblo extraordinarily 

hard. Pueblo is an area that is economically depressed, with over 22% living below 

the poverty rate! The increase in electricity prices has also been accompanied by 

widespread job loss. For every 1000 megawatts of power generated by a coal-fired 

plant, there are 250 jobs inside that plant. For every 1000 megawatts of power 

generated by natural gas, there are 50 jobs inside that plant. That is a stark 

difference. Black Hills Energy chose to replace almost all of its coal-fired plants 

with natural gas plants. Individuals have lost good, high-skilled, jobs. 

Communities have lost their tax base. 

Quite simply, utility companies changing to comply with the Colorado 

standards have left the consumers paying the bill. It has kept many small 

businesses from hiring additional workers and real families have been left literally 

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in the dark, having to choose between heating their home and feeding their 

children. 

The people of Colorado cannot afford to lose another coal-fired plant. I am 

here today to strongly caution the EPA against being so ambitious that it decides to 

fight the global problem of climate change on its own — requiring the entire US to 

go down the path Colorado has. A global climate change plan is needed — one that 

brings everyone to the table — one that requires every nation to make emission 

reductions. China and India have global emissions that grow every year. Without 

their commitment to reducing emissions and fighting climate change, these EPA 

regulations will only be doing the US and its citizens a disservice. The cost of 

electricity will rise, thousands will be left without jobs, and the strength of our 

electric grid will be diminished. 

Thank you again for the opportunity to testify. I respectfully suggest EPA 

reconsider the Clean Power Plan taking into account how aggressive standards 

have harmed the great state of Colorado. 

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