John Friedrich, with Climate Parents. We're mobilizing parents 

and grandparents across the country to take action on clean 

energy and climate for the sake of our kids and grandkids. 

The world facing our children and grandchildren if we stay the 

current carbon course will be increasingly chaotic, and marked by 

extreme weather events such as the severe droughts, wildfires 

and flooding that have recently ravaged Colorado. 

The stakes are high for our kids, including my 8-year old 

daughter Rosie. The National Climate Assessment states that 

"Climate change threatens human health and well-being in many 

ways...certain people are especially vulnerable, especially 

children. Early action provides the largest health benefits. As 

threats increase, our ability to adapt to future changes may be 

limited." 

If we care about our kids, and their kids, we absolutely must do 

everything we can to reverse the tide on climate change. And 

since the biggest climate change drivers in the U.S. are dirty fuelpowered power plants, EPA must adopt and enact strong limits on 

carbon pollution from power plants without delay. 

The health and well-being of all children now and throughout their 

lives must be the top priority in setting new carbon pollution 

limits. Climate Parents strongly supports the Clean Power Plan as 

an important step in making a transition to clean, kid-safe, 

climate-safe energy. However, we want to see the proposed 

carbon pollution standards strengthened to adequately protect our 

kids from harm. 

Many states will be able to achieve even greater carbon 

reductions than called for in the Clean Power Plan because they 
are retiring dirty power plants and moving to clean energy and 

energy efficiency much faster and at greater scale than EPA has 

estimated. A strengthened standard, with more ambitious carbon 

pollution reduction targets, would take this progress into account 

as a base to be built upon. 

There are some that say we can't afford to move toward a clean 

energy future. The reality is we can't afford not to! 

There's too much at stake, the life support systems of the earth 

are too strained, there are too many kids suffering from asthma 

and other pollution-fueled diseases, to perpetuate the same 

outdated policies. 

The days of getting a free pass to dump unlimited amounts of 

carbon pollution into the air at the expense of our communities, 

our kids and their future must come to an end. 

There is tremendous opportunity in making a transformation to a 

clean energy economy. A huge number of jobs will be created to 

make every school, home, and business in this country energy 

efficient, and powered by clean, homegrown sources of energy. 

Today's children are going to help make that better, healthier 

world a reality -- if we just give them the opportunity. And the 

Clean Power Plan is a very important step in that direction. 

Climate Parents is circulating a petition in support of the Clean 

Power Plan, which has already been signed by thousands of 

supporters here in Colorado and across the country. I'd like to 
read for the record a sampling of the comments that have been 

submitted so far: 

Anne Mayberry in Steamboat Springs, CO writes: 

It is time to let go of older power generating technology so we can 

innovate and embrace power technologies for the future. 

Mary Coates, in Gastonia, NC: 

Please think of the future of the whole planet, not just what's 

cheap and popular now - I don't want my grandkids to foot the bill 

for my excesses! 

Kat McGhee, Hollis, NH: 

My husband and I have children and grandchildren. We do not 

want to relegate their future to the environmental havoc continued 

expansion of fossil fuel dependence will reek upon future 

generations. 

Peggy Gray, Troy, OH: 

This is important to me because the pollution affects my health 

and that of my family and friends, both lung health and total 

overall health. 
John Clark, of Granite Falls, NC: 

I would not mind a small increase in my electric bill to pay for 

fresh air for my grand children and great grandchildren. 

Joyce Knarr, Tampa, FL: 

Money will not buy our grandchildren clean air to breathe. Please 

act now to adopt aggressive tough rules to cut carbon pollution 

from power plants!! 

Siah Richard, of Middletown, PA: 

As a civil engineering student I believe it is extremely important to 

come up with cleaner and more sustainable designs within the 

energy sector. This comes by first creating new rules to regulate 

that sector. Cutting carbon pollution means a cleaner environment 

and an earth filled with abundant resources for generations to 

come. 

Edwin Hiley, Athens, PA: 

We're nearing, at, or past the point of no return relative to carbon 

dioxide concentrations. Much can and must be done to slow and 

reverse the past and current policies of energy production. Now! 

John Frank, of Thorntown, IN: 

Pollution is a true cost of an energy source. By imposing pollution 

restriction on traditional energy sources we are leveling the 

playing field for clean energy sources such as solar and wind. 
Therese Brownfield, Larkspur, CO: 

It is scientifically feasible, economically reasonable, and morally 

responsible for the health of our nation and our planet that the 

EPA and we citizens enact this rule and others like it. Let's be 

smart for our future. 

GP Avery, Napa, CA: 

Not imposing stricter standards will only make the cost of power 

more expensive in the future as we have to use more energy to 

compete with the effects of climate change. Natural or man-made, 

stronger rules will lessen the impact. 

Wendy McKendrick, Westminister, CO: 

Other countries (like Germany, Denmark and Indonesia) are 

leading the way to incorporating cleaner energy technologies. 

Let's not get left behind. 

Nancy Noloboff, St. Augustine, FL: 

I have a grandson whose life is just beginning. We need a 

sustainable future. 

Thank you for taking action to enact a strengthened Clean Power 

Plan for the sake of our kids and grandkids.