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## THE WHITE HflUSE OFFICE

REFERRAL September 18, 2013 TO: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY ACTION COMMENTS: ACTION REt1UESTED: DIRECT REPLY W/COPY i^.,^ _^ REFERRAL COMMENTS: f" t_ cr? c^ DESCRIPTION OF INCOMING:

ID: 1122601 MEDIA: EMAIL DOCUMENT DATE: September 16, 2013 TO: PRESIDENT OBAMA FROM: THE HONORABLE LISA MURKOWSKI

UNITED STATES SENATE WASHINGTON, DC 20510 SUBJECT: EXPRESSES CONCERNS OVER THE PLANS FOR EPA TO ISSUE

UNPRECENDENTED GREENHOUSE GAS REGULATIONS FOR BOTH NEW AND EXISTING ELECTRIC GENERATING UNITS

COMMENTS:

PROMPT ACTION IS ESSENTIAL -- IF REQUIRED ACTION HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN WITHIN 9 WORKING DAYS OF RECEIPT, UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED, PLEASE TELEPHONE THE UNDERSIGNED AT (202) 488-2690. RETURN ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE, WORKSHEET AND COPY OF RESPONSE (OR DRAFT) TO: DOCUMENT TRACKING UNIT, ROOM 63, OFFICE OF RECORDS MANAGEMENT - THE WHITE HOUSE, 20500THE WHITE HOUSE ^ ^' ^ Uiffi DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT AND TRACKING WORKSHEET + ^ 

### DATE RECEIVED: September 17, 2013 CASE ID: 1122601 NAME OF CORRESPONDENT: THE HONORABLE LISA MURKOWSKI SUBJECT: EXPRESSES CONCERNS OVER THE PLANS FOR EPA TO ISSUE UNPRECENDENTED

GREENHOUSE GAS REGULATIONS FOR BOTH NEW AND EXISTING ELECTRIC GENERATING UNITS 1 ^ ^^^^ ROUTE T0: TYPE DATE AGENCYlOFFICE (STAFF NAME) CODE DATV KNIIIIPO.N$11 C4DE COIVIPLETED LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS MIGUEL RODRIGUEZ ORG 09/18/2013
j ACTION COMMENTS: ! ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY R 09/18/2013

ACTION COMMENTS:

ACTION COMMENTS:

ACTION COMMENTS:

ACTION COMMENTS: 

### COMMENTS: 1 ADDL SIGNEE MEDIA TYPE: EMAIL USER CODE:

ACTION CODES I DISPOSITION A= APPROPRIATE ACTION ; TYPE RESPONSE I DISPOSITION CODES I COMPLETED DATE ! B = RESEARCH AND REPORT BACK D= DRAFT RESPONSE _. I INITIALS OF SIGNER (W,H. A= ANSWERED OR _. E DATE OF 1=1NF0 COPY/NO ACT NECESSARY STAFF) 1 ACKNOWLEDGED i ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ! R= DIRECT REPLY W/ COPY : NRN = NO RESPONSE NEEDED ! C= CLOSED ; OR CLOSEOUT DATE ^ ORG = ORIGINATING OFFICE ; OTBE = OVERTAKEN BY EVENTS ''s X= INTERIM REPLY (MM/DDIYY) KEEP THIS WORKSHEET ATTACHED TO THE ORIGINAL INCOMING LETTER AT ALL TIMES REFER QUESTIONS TO DOCUMENT TRACKING UNIT (202)-456-2590 SEND ROUTING UPDATES AND COMPLETED RECORDS TO OFFICE OF RECORDS MANAGEMENT - DOCUMENT TRACKING UNIT ROOM 53, EE06. ScaOnRe^d by

### Lif t1le Ittcitt.^a't ftI,a.7if iTttittiti, ^1^` ."10.1111

September 16, 2013 President Barack Obama 

### The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW 

### Washington, DC 20500 Dear Mr. President: We are writing to express our grave concerns over the plans for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to issue unprecedented greenhouse gas (GHG) regulations for both new and existing electric generating units. Such rules would disproportionately affect fossil fuel-based electricity plants, which have been and remain 

### the foundation for stable and low-cost power generation in America. These concerns are compounded by your recent speech on climate change at Georgetown University. There has already been significant progress in energy efhciency for buildings, 

### vehicle mileage standards, efficiency in power distribution, and power plant technologies throughout the United States. According to the Energy Information Administration's August 2012 report, the first quarter of 2012 saw the lowest level of energy demand-related carbon dioxide emissions since 1992. Carbon dioxide emissions from coal plants in the same period were the lowest of any quarter since 1986. 

### While we should continue working to reduce emissions, doing so in a way that denies the opportunity for incremental improvements and technological innovations over time is unreasonable. America is what it is today because of such innovations, many of which were supported by federal R&D not forced into existence by regulation. Our nation can continue to use coal and continue to lower emissions at the same 

### time. Coa!-based power generation projects are being developed throughout the world, and many of them are using state-of-the-art technologies that can lay the foundation for advancements in power plant efficiency and reduced carbon dioxide emissions. As a result of these advances, the goal of near-zero emissions from coal is within sight. Inaddition, advancements in technology are allowing us to modernize the existing coal

### fueled fleet by improving efficiency and reducing emissions, while continuing to produce low-cost electricity for homes, offices and factories. If adopted as recently proposed, EPA rules will effectively ban these new plants from being built. Further, EPA regulations could prevent existing sources from making 

### upgrades to improve efficiency, which would provide more electricity with less fuel and reduced emissions. Unduly burdensome regulation could destroy years of research inr



### SA MURKOWSKI U.S. Senator .^ 9


### DON YOUNCV Congressman for AII Alaska . ^


### emissions technology, eliminate scientific and engineering jobs, and stymie growth opportunities in America's manufacturing and construction sectors. 

### Lastly, we must state our unease on the matter of jurisdiction concerning GHG emissions. The Clean Air Act was written by Congress to regulate criteria pollutants, not greenhouse gases, and its implementation remains subject to oversight and guidance 

### from elected representatives. We should continue our work to pass meaningful energy and climate legislation, but in the rneantime, we wi11 not turn a blind eye to efforts to impose back-door climate regulations with no input from Congress. 

### We respectfully request that you make some effort to work with elected representatives in Congress before imposing regulations that have failed thus far to even differentiate between the different types of fuel. Only together can we create 

### thoughtfully considered policy that is capable of attracting broad support and avoiding harm to our infrastructure and economy.

### Sincerely,