### TestimonyofDavid Ellenberger, NationalWildlife FederationRegional Outreach Consultantin Boulder, CO EPA Carbon Pollution Standard Hearing, Washington, DC- May 24, 2012
Good afternoon and thankyou forthe opportunitytotestify in strong support ofthe EPA's rules to-"" cut carbon dioxide pollution on future coal-fired power plants. My name is David Ellenberger and I'm a regional outreach coordinator with the National Wildlife

# Federation~·J<-K Boulder, CO. Being born and raised in the intermountain West has instilled in me an abiding love ofthe nature, wildlife and the unique recreational opportunities afforded in the great outdoors of my beloved Rocky Mountains. Needless to say, when I moved to Colorado from Montana nearly ayear ago, Iwas excited to experience some ofthe legendary downhill skiing the state has to offer. Before I had even moved to my new home, Iwent online to purchase what is called an "epic" ski pass- offering unlimited ski access tothe famed mountains ofVail, Beaver Creek, Keystone, Breckenridge and Arapahoe Basin. Unfortunately, myfirst ski season in Colorado turned outto be something less than "epic". The season limped to a start with a later opening in most places- and on limited terrain- than many are accustomed to out West. Myfriends kept telling me, "just wait until March -that's our biggest snow month". Iwaited patiently,**111~1**

### $.t7·o...hltt but March on the Front Range was ultimately defined by,._ warm temperatures and nearly zero participation. Only .01 inches of precipitation was recorded on the Front Range- making itthe driest March since record keeping began in the Denver area. Towardsthe end ofthe month awildfire blew out ofcontrol southwest of Denver, killing three people and torchingthousands ofacres.
The ski season ended in awhimper and by mid-April many ofthe resorts were showing more bare ground than
snow and hardly managing to stay open totheir usual closing dates. And apparently, this unfortunate ski
season was notjust dismal in the Colorado Rockies, as the DenverPost reported that "the 2011-12 ski season will forever rank as one ofthe ugliest ever, with record levels of decay from coast to coast. Across the country, average snowfall at ski areas was down 41 percent, markingyet another record low in the last 20 years. Half of the country's resorts opened late with man-made snow and closed early in a sweltering March that saw skiarea temperatures reaching the 80s."
The ski industry in Colorado is a major economic driverforthe state. Likely some will say that 2012 was an anomaly after afew good years ofwinter snowpacks in the Rockies, and yet reports from climate scientists
seem to concurthatthe future ofthe intermountain West will be hotter and drier- more similarto 2012 than not. Indeed a recent Washington Postarticle in early May confirmed that 2012 thatthe U.S. just completed the warmest 12-month period in 117years, further stating that "Although the contortions ofthejet stream established the unusually warm weather patterns, the intensity and persistence ofthe warmth compared to the past is very likely related tothe elevated greenhouse concentrations in atmosphere from human activities."
The unfortunate demise of my first ski season in Colorado pales in light ofthe predicted havoc ofan increasingly warming climate in the West. Increased wildfires, prolonged drought and water scarcity, regional die-offs of numerous susceptible plant and animal species and numerous other maladies could unravel the fabric ofWestern landscapes.

# -~··~I applaud the U.S. EPA's new proposal to cut carbon dioxide emissions from future power plants that will reduce heat-trapping emissions by 123 billion pounds ofcarbon pollution annually compared with business as usual. In my opinion these rules are long overdue and need to be finished this year, as well as immediately followed by similar rules to limit carbon pollution from existing coal-fired power plants. 

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# .t....f.c"j ,,....,/. I' Long live Wmter. ( 1•
David Ellenberger 2995 Baseline Rd. STE 300 Boulder, CO 80303