Testimony of Guy Runco before the Environmental Protection Agency 

regarding the Clean Power Plan 

Denver, CO 

July 30, 2014 2:50pm 

Good afternoon. My name is Guy Runco. I am an International 

Representative with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, " 

the IBEW". 

I live in Pueblo, Colorado and work all over the state of Colorado. 

Before I became an International Representative, in the 70's and 80's I 

worked for Centel Electric, a Utility company in Southern Colorado that is 

now Black Hills, Colorado. I worked in the Utility industry for 13 years as a 

Substation Electrician, working in both substations and power plants in 

Southern Colorado. 

In 1987 I became the Business Manager of IBEW Local 667, 

representing Electric Utility workers in Southern Colorado and continued to 

do this for 12 years. In 1999, I became an International Representative for the 

IBEW, representing electrical workers across the IBEW 8thDistrict and I 

continue in that position today. 

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On behalf of the IBEW members in the entire IBEW 8thDistrict which 

consist of the states of Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado, I 

thank you for this opportunity to testify. 

The IBEW in conjunction with Unions for Jobs and Environmental 

Progress estimate the EPA's proposed Clean Power Rule will result in the loss 

of 52,000 permanent direct jobs by 2020 due to coal fired power plant closures 

and the loss of 167,000 total direct and indirect jobs. The job loss is not limited 

to positions in the plants that will close, jobs in coal-fired power plants, or jobs 

in the communities closely surrounding these plants. These jobs are in the 

railroad, mining, electrical, and service industries. These jobs are all highlyskilled, high-paying jobs, in rural communities all across Colorado, Idaho, 

Montana, Utah, and Wyoming, areas that do not have comparable 

employment opportunities. 

In the 8thDistrict, across the states of Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah 

and Wyoming there are countless communities that are totally reliant on the 

jobs created by Coal fired power plants, places like Delta Utah, Wheatland 

Wyoming, Colstrip Montana and Craig Colorado. In all of these communities 

the power plant jobs and all of the related service jobs that are created by an 

operational coal fired power plant are absolutely essential to the economy, not 

only of the towns themselves but the surrounding communities! 

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There is no doubt that the job loss caused by the Clean Power Plan will 

have a devastating effect on these communities, communities that are still 

experiencing record unemployment rates. If this plan moves forward as it is 

written, there is no doubt that it will be at an extremely high cost for the states 

of Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah and Wyoming, in both terms of jobs lost, 

communities impacted and electric utility rates raised. 

Job loss will be accompanying generation loss. The EPA reports the 

Clean Power Plan will lead to the closure of over 40 gigawatts of coal-fired 

generating capacity by 2020. This is the equivalent of Colorado, Nevada, Utah, 

and Wyoming ALL losing power ENTIRELY. Due to the nature of the rule, 

the exact plant closures and gigawatts that will be lost remains unknown and 

difficult to assess until states have finalized implementation plans which will 

not be for several years. 

The Clean Power Plan closures will be in addition to those our area has 

already seen as a result of other EPA regulations, like the most recent, the 

Mercury and Air Toxics Standard. Almost half of the US coal-fired power 

plants will close by the time the Clean Power Plan is fully implemented. 

Renewable energy - solar and wind are not prepared to make up for this great 

loss of electrical grid stability. 

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Natural Gas is also not ready to bridge the gap left by the US coal-fired 

fleet closures. EPA's proposal for increasing the use of natural gas combined 

cycle units, in addition to the 40 Gigawatts of new natural gas combined cycle 

capacity that EPA projects to come on-line from 2020 to 2030, will lead to 

significant increases in natural gas prices well above EPA's projections. This 

is assuming that all of the permitting for new plants is even approved and the 

plants are constructed, the IBEW remains skeptical these plants will even 

come online as the EPA predicts. 

Increasing electricity demand coupled with decreased supply is a recipe 

for skyrocketing electricity prices that will be passed directly on to consumers. 

Our area has already seen increased costs due to renewable standards and 

MATS associated plant closures — our communities and consumers cannot 

afford another round of EPA-related plant closures. In Colorado we are 

already seeing the effects of recent coal fired plant closures, job losses and 

increased electric utility rates are a reality to the citizens of this state. The 

increased electric rates have a terrible effect on all of the rate payers but even 

more so, on the elderly and the working class, those that can least afford to 

pay. Increased rates also inhibit new industry and job creation. 

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The IBEW has several recommendations for an improved Clean Power Plan: 

• Provide credit to states that have already reduced carbon emissions to 

help meet EPA targets 

• Delay the implementation of Clean Power Plan to give states and 

utilities adequate time to implement compliance strategies and share 

those strategies with the public for comment 

• Demand a global climate change plan that brings developing nations 

like China and India to the table. Both nations' share of global 

emissions is growing every year. Without global commitment to fighting 

climate change, EPA regulations will bring no net benefit. 

Thank you for this opportunity to testify, the IBEW looks forward to 

working with you toward a climate change solution that keeps the best 

interests of consumers, workers, and the environment in mind. Unfortunately, 

the Clean Power Plan is not that solution. 

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