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...·.····.• North Carolina Interfaith Power & 

### Light 

# · JJ · www.ncipl.org • info@ncipl.org 27 Horne Street Raleigh, NC 27607 (919) 828-6501

July 29, 2014 Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2013-0602

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## ---.., Good afternoon, I am

**Ste!~-~pastor** at Community United Church of Christ in Raleigh, NC. I ·todayto provide testimony as afaith leader, and as clergy representative of NC Interfaith Power and Light, a statewide organization addressingthe ecological andjustice issues ofclimate change as afaith-based initiative.

NC Interfaith Power 

### &Light is a program ofthe North Carolina Council of Churches. This role provides access tothe Council's membership ofover 6,200 congregations. The North Carolina Council of Churches is comprised of25 distinctjudicatoriesfrom 17 denominationswith 1.5 million congregants across the state of North Carolina. In 2005, NCIPL became the 16thstate affiliate ofthe national Interfaith Power 

### & Light Campaign. There are now Interfaith Power 

### & Light affiliates in 40 states in over 15,000 congregations.

NCIPL has active programs preparing forthe consequences ofclimate change from sealevel rise to human health impacts. Experts advise us to "avoid the unmanageable and manage the unavoidable;" change is here and it is frightening. NCIPL offers hope with programs that congregations can use to build local resilience and reduce the magnitude offuture change.

As people offaith called to care for God's people and Creation, especially the most vulnerable, we have a moral obligation to address the profound impacts ofthe way we produce and use energy. In addition to protecting ourclimate, curbing pollution from power plants offers many important benefits, including saving lives and reducing health risks tothose suffering from heart disease and respiratory ailments such as asthma.

As a United Church ofChrist pastorand clergy representative to NC Interfaith Power 

### & Light, I am very proud that UCC's executive ministerforJustice and Witness Ministries, the Rev. Linda Jaramillo publically proclaimed "The United Church ofChrist applaudsthe Obama Administration's effortstotake real action on climate change. A proposal like the
one introduced by the EPA has been a longtime coming and is justthe first of many steps that need to be taken by the U.S. government and big business to begin to curtail the damage that has already been done to our precious Earth."·President Obama and the EPA are acting on our moral obligation to address unlimited carbon pollution comingfrom the nation's power plants, the single largest source of global warming pollution inthe country. The newstandards will help usher in clean energy solutions like improved efficiency and solar power: things that North Carolina Interfaith Power & Light congregations have been using in theirfacilities foryears to reduce emissions and save money. Emerging wind and solar companies have been in a David and Goliath struggle against the well-funded coal and gas industries. The new standards will create a dynamic move toward cleaner energy.

"These days faith and science are close allies. The science is clear and peer proven that global warming and climate change in ourtime is human induced by ourtremendous emissions ofcarbon in the air- causing carbon pollution and the "green house" effect. Science tells us this reality. The role of religious faith is to give us the moral imperative to change our lifestyle and safeguard our environmentforfuture generations and welfare of human life and the integrityofGod's creation. The EPA's carbon safeguards are one important element in changing our lifestyle to meetthisthreat.

Communities offaith are identifying and implementing hope-filled responses to climate change as a moral imperative. We wantto influence people to be good caretakers or stewards ofGod's good gifts in creation. We seek energy conservation, energy efficiency, and renewable energy sources in orderto safeguard our environment now and for future generations as is guided by the wisdom ofourfaith traditions.

Climate change is a moral issue. The impacts can already be felt through heatwaves, droughts and wildfires, butthe impacts will get far worse ifwe continue to do nothing. The EPA is lookingto take one critical step by reducing pollution from power plants.

On behalfof NC Interfaith Power & light I have contacted North Carolina's Senators, Kay Hagan and Richard Burr, to letthem knowthatwe supportthis positive action to reduce industrial carbon pollution.

I am hopeful thatthe EPA's newcarbon emission safeguards will be embraced by business and industry as the right course ofaction forthe people, both rich and poor and all in between, ofour nation.

Rev. Steve Halsted Pastor of United Church ofChrist Clergy Representative to NCIPL's Executive Committee