LEAG E OF CONSERVATION VOTERS 

My name is Sara Chieffo. I am here to encourage the Environmental Protection Agency to 

finalize this year its proposal to place the first national limits on industrial carbon pollution from 

power plants. I am here today as a concerned citizen, an asthma sufferer, and as the Legislative 

Director for the League of Conservation Voters. LCV's mission is to turn environmental values 

into national priorities. LCV's members are spread throughout the country and we work in close 

partnership with a network of over 30 state-based leagues of conservation voters. LCV was 

founded in 1970- the same year that Republican President Richard Nixon created the EPA and 

signed the landmark Clean Air Act into law. 

As an asthma-sufferer, whose attacks are worst on smog-filled, hot summer days, this proposal 

means a great deal to me personally. I live here in the nation's capital and we have some ofthe 

worst air quality in the country. 

Doctors, nurses, scientists and other experts warn us that carbon pollution threatens public 

health, and is especially damaging to vulnerable populations like children and the elderly. This is 

because climate change's rising temperatures are likely to make smog pollution worse, 

trigger"1ng asthma attacks and even permanently damaging children's developing lungs. 

Consistent with the U.S. Supreme Court's decision, the EPA, in 2009, formally recognized these 

and other health threats posed by climate change in its determination that global warming 

pollution threatens human health and the environment. 

Power plants are the largest source of carbon pollution in the United States. Right now, these 

polluters are free to dump an unlimited amount of carbon pollution into our air. EPA's proposal 

would, for the first time, impose national limits on the amount of carbon pollution power plants 

built in the future can emit. These limits translate into a roughly 60% reduction in carbon 

pollution when compared to today's coal-fired power plants. 

The EPA's proposal is a commonsense measure that will protect public health, spur innovation 

in clean technologies, and start us down the path of stopping unabated global warming. It will 

help ensure the current market trends toward a cleaner, safer, and more modern power sector 

continue. Cleaning up and modernizing the power sector will also create much-needed jobs. 

This proposal is not without precedent- many states have taken similar steps. This standard 

also builds on the successful actions that the EPA, in partnership with the Department of 

Transportation has taken to reduce carbon pollution from the nation's fleet of cars. 

I am honored to be part of the over 1.4 million positive comments that have already been 

submitted to the EPA in support of this public safeguard. With over a month yet to go in the 

1920 L Street NW, Suite 800 • Washington, DC 20036 • 202-785-8683 • Fax: 202-835-0491 

lcv@lcv.org • www.lcv.org 
LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS 

public comment period, this total already represents the highest number of comments the EPA 

has ever received. 

In closing, let me reiterate my support for this proposal and encourage the EPA to finalize a 

strong carbon pollution rule this year. Thank you for this opportunity to testify. 

Contact information: 

Sora Chieffo 

Legislative Director 

League of Conservation Voters 

sara chieffo@lcv.org 

202-785-8683 

1920 L Street NW, Suite 800 • Washington, DC 20036 • 202-78S-8683 • Fax: 202-83S-0491 

lcv@lcv.org • www.lcv.org