Testimony of PeterGorr EPA Public Hearing on Carbon Pollution Standards for New Power Plants Chicago, IL May24, 2012

My name is Peter Gorr. I live in Palatine IL, am a retired business executive and hold a MBAfrom the University ofChicago.

I am testifying today in support the Carbon Pollution Standardsfor new power plants. You will hearfrom many people, and even your own documents highlight, the importance ofthese standards as relates to environmental and health effects. These are critically important but Iwish to focus on this matterfrom another perspective.

We like to think ofoureconomy as essentially afree and fair market economy. Isay "free and fair" because atotally unregulated free market is anything butfair. What makesthe market more fair are rational and reasonable regulations. Generally, and unfortunately, regulations are required to protect the health, safety, and wealth ofthe public. In a perfect world, theyshouldn't be needed, but it is not a perfectworld with powerful corporations run by many individuals driven more bygreed and power than the public interest. We continue to struggle through economic events brought on by nothing

more than these same shortcomings in a under regulated financial industry.

The energy industry is also anything butfree and fair. Fortunately, the industry has evolved to offer many alternatives for generating energy. Unfortunately, it is not a level playing field between these alternatives and fossil fuels and this is in direct conflictwith free market principles. We now have alternatives that effectively and efficientlygenerate energywith no carbon emissions. I know because Iown such a system. I converted my home to solar generated electricity and produce over 8 mwh ofelectricity peryearwith not what is being allowed underthese standards, namelyover 8000 lbs. ofcarbon emissions, but rather I produce zero carbon emissions. Also Igenerate energy at avery competitive rate to what is offered from the utility.

The point Iwish to make is that it is no longer required to hand fossil fuel supplied plants special treatmentswhich improve their profits and give them an unfair competitive advantage at the expense ofthe publics' health and safety. In the case ofcarbon emissions we are talking about the health, safety, and wealth ofthe publicfor generationsto come. Iam also a grandfather and Iam greatly concerned about the future my children and grandchildren face. The idea ofallowing an industryto ignore
some oftheir costs of production flies in theface offree and fair market principles. These principles considerwaste a sign of inefficiency, and pollution is certainlywaste. Free markets penalize inefficiency yetthe energy industry has been rewarded. Againthe key point is there are clean and efficient alternatives that are struggling to gain meaningful market share because ofthe advantages given to their competition, fossil fuels. These alternatives like wind and solar do not produce these negative externalities like pollution. All their costs are ·Internalized and as such mustfind their way into their pricing. Fossil fuels have been allowed to pollute with much ofthe cost not reflected in their price but rather in the publics' taxes, as we clean up afterthem, in ourdoctor's bills

as we tryto recover from the health effects, and in our insurance premiums as devastating climate events inflict huge losses. The Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change estimates that already 1% ofGlobal GOP is required each yearto deal with the impacts ofclimate change. This same report states with business as usual we face an annual investment exceeding 5% ofGlobal GOP. This is unimaginable. With electricity generation one ofthe leading contributors ofC02, the positive economic impact of limiting emissions is huge.

As a professional whosejob itwasto advance products and strategies that delivered profits, howmuch easier myjob would have been if I could have ignored some of my production costs while my competitors could not. The time has come to not allow any business to dump their garbage on the public. We are not avoiding cost. We are simply delaying the payment and worse yet shifting the burden to our children and their children. Iffossil fuels cannot be competitive without special cost avoidance, Ioffer they do not have a marketable product.

In conclusion, while the environmental and health benefits of limiting carbon pollution

are well known and bythemselves reason enough to establish these standards, the economic benefits are equally profound and create a win-win-win scenario forthe public.

Thank you.

Peter Gorr 1025 W. Wood St. Palatine, IL 60067 847-991-2185 pagorr@comcast.net