Hello, \.( \ 

My name is Ben Topiel. The last name is spelled T-0-P-1-E-L I'm a student at George 

Washington University. I come here today in support of the Clean Power Plan. I grew up 

in Southern New Jersey. Spending long summer days at the beach with family are 

some of my happiest memories. My sister, my cousins, and I spent hours making 

elaborate fortresses in the sand and boogey boarding in the ocean. In the mornings, my 

father took us to our favorite bakery for warm homemade donuts. But because of 

increasingly severe storms like hurricane sandy, so many kids will not get to enjoy the 

same wonderful, innocent memories. And, Because ofJhe_air_pollutioo--aRcl-extreme 

heat;- MY cherished childhood memories GOLo~-ifl--the-"Stlfl are ~n~ with 

darker, less happy _ _ones. My mom, sister, and others in my family suffer froM asthma 

which has threatened their lives on multiple occasions. I still remember a particularly 

vivid time, when I was 8 years old at the shore with my family, and my mom began to 

wheeze, and soon she could barely breathe. She was having a severe asthma attack, 

and before long was rushed to the hospital. 

Sadly, many other New Jerseyans share this story. Statewide, over 500,000 adults and 

more than 200,000 children suffer from asthma. 

Besides being a Jerseyean, I also belong to a generation that is keenly aware of the 

realities of climate change. At 10 years old, I bought a book on global warming at 'my 

school book fair. I remember sitting in my bedroom, reading about the science of the 

Greenhouse Effect, and how humans are causing climates to change at rates our earth 

had never seen before. This type of story is not uncommon among people my age. My 

generation is not only educated on climate change, but compelled to take the necessary 

action to address this great challenge. We aren't growing up in a world endowed with a 

seemingly infinite cheap energy supply, or one that is unaware of damaging 

consequences burning fossil fuels has for ourselves and the people we care about. We 

recognize that using renewable energy isn't just about protecting future generations 

from the perils of climate change. It is about preventing our health today from the other 

harmful pollutants spewing from fossil fuel fired power plants. And while the problems of 

climate change have moved firmly into the present, its solutions provide a powerful 

opportunity to re-energize our economy, protect our citizens, and lead the world in 

innovation and social justice. The Clean Power Plan will stimulate investments in 

efficiency and renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, creating the job of the 

future and building an energy system that is safer and more resilient 

Fortunately we currently have the tools and knowledge need to tackle the challenge of 

climate change. Yet, corporate polluters and legislative inaction obstruct these solutions 

from being implemented. That is why I support the EPA for taking action that is not only 

a good first step in limiting carbon polluting, but that will also spark climate action and 

innovation around the world. I urge the EPA to finalize the rule so that we can all have a 

healthier, more prosperous present and future. 

Thank you very much.