EPA Public Hearing on Re-proposal of Cement Kiln Air Taxies Standards August 

### 16, 2012 Arlington , TX Testimony of Kemp Burdette of Wilmington, NC Good Afternoon, I am Kemp Burdette of Wilmington, North Carolina

. I am the Cape Fear Riverkeeper and the Executive Director of Cape Fear River Watch, a grassroots organization that protects and improves the water quality ofthe Lower Cape Fear River in southeastern NC. I am also a leader ofthe Stop Titan Action Network, a broad coalition of seven citizen based groups who oppose a proposed Titan Cement plant i n our community

. Over 

### 14,000 people , including over 

### 200 physicians, have signed our petition opposing a new cement plant based on the clear negative impacts to our community's health , environment and economy. I am honored to speak on their behalf today. Most importantlythough , I am here today as a father of two little girls who love to play outside

. Titan ' s proposed plant would be the nation' s 4 t h largest, if built

. Titan plans to burn coal to process limestone from its strip mine

. The facility would be placed on a narrow piece of land between our state's largest river and the Atlantic Ocean. Our county, New Hanover County, is North Carolina' s 

### 2"dsmallest and 

### 2"d most densely populated so there would be no escaping the pollution emitted by the plant. 

### 8,500 school children attend school within 

### 5 miles ofTitan ' s proposed facility and those 

### 8,500 tiny lungs and hearts will be especially endangered by emissions from the plant

. Our community is deeply concerned with the EPA' s proposed weakenin g ofthe cement kiln rules that were finalized in 

### 2010
. Without strong air taxies standards for cement kiln emissions, facilities like the proposed Titan plant will emit dangerous levels of mercury, lead , benzene , and particulate matter. These toxins, especially mercury, will wind up in our river and our coastal waters. Blackwater rivers like ours are especially good at converting elemental mercury to methyl-mercury, an especially dangerous form of mercury that is concentrated in fish tissue as it moves up the food chain

. Many ofthe people who eat fish from our river, especially low income sustenance fishermen , are unaware that the fish contain dangerous amounts of mercury. Children who are fed this mercury laden fish by their well
meaning parents can suffer from delayed development and lower IQs

. Particulate matter from cement plants exacerbates respiratory problems, can cause asthma attacks, bronchitis, lung can cer, and heart attacks

. Particulate matter is especi ally dangerous to our community' s mostvulnerable- children like mine and the elderly, like my father who suffered an almost fatal heart attack 3 years ago. Given the clear mandate ofthe Clean Air Act and in light ofthe imminent threat to public health and the environment presented by cement kiln pollution , our community is confused about why the EPA is proposing to weaken rules that would save up to 

### 2,500 lives each year. We are baffled that the agency charged with protecting human health and the envi ronment seems to be more concerned w ith providing cost savings for industry than saving up to 

### 18 billion dollars a year in health care costsassociated with pollution from cement plants. The Clean Air Act is not about providing cost savings to polluters-it is intended to remove pollution from the air we breathe

. In closing, we strongly support the final 2010 Cement Kiln Air Toxics Standards and we want them implemented ON TIME. These rules are good for our community and good for the environment. We strongly oppose any weakening of emission limits, any backsliding on monitoring requirements, and any life threatening delay in the implementation ofthe 2010 rules. Thank you for the opportunity to speak here today

.