Good Afternoon. My name is Catherine Cox Blair. I am a Senior Advisor with the Urban 

Solutions program at the Natural Resources Defense Council. NRDC is a nonprofit 

environmental organization with more than 1.4 million members and online activists. Since our 

founding in 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to 

protect the world's natural resources, its public health, and the environment. NRDC's top 

institutional priority is curbing global warming emissions and building the clean energy future. I 

am grateful that Colorado has been a leader on these issues. 

As a city planning professional, I have worked with cities all around the county to plan and 

implement more sustainable and economically resilient places. I hear over and over again from 

municipal and business leaders that they want cleaner air and healthier communities; more 

energy efficient buildings and utility systems; alternative transportation choices; access to 

smart, renewable energy sources; and recreational activities and open space. These are the 

things that make cities and communities livable and attractive places for people to live and for 

businesses to thrive. The damaging effects of climate change are threatening our communities, 

our way of life, and our local, state and even national economies. The EPA's Clean Power Plan 

is a step in the right direction. 

As a Coloradan, I have experienced and witnessed firsthand, the devastating effects of climate 

change. We've seen huge wildfires cause major damage. Colorado's Waldo-Canyon Fire of 

2012 was the most destructive wildfire in the state's history. It damaged more than 346 homes, 

burned more than 18,200 acres, forced the evacuation of more than 32,000 residents, and cost 

$8.8 million to contain. 

On the other end of weather troubles, we were hit by storms in June 2012 that caused more 

than $1 billion in hail damage. Then, in 2013 we had rains of "biblical" proportions. Over five 

days in September, nearly a year's worth of rain fell in Colorado. That caused flooding that 

traveled 140 miles, all the way east to Nebraska. The flooding killed 8 people and destroyed 

more than 1,000 homes caused hundreds of millions of dollars of damage. 

Colorado already is feeling the impacts of extreme weather. One only needs to look out the 

window today to see what climate change has meant to Colorado, from droughts, to wildfires, 

to floods to record heat. 

EPA's proposed plan is a significant step in the right direction for our country. It's critically 

important to build on this proposal and adopt an even stronger final rule next year to benefit 

Coloradans and our economy. In the meantime, Colorado can continue as a leader in the clean 

energy economy by cultivating innovation; supporting new and emerging businesses; and by 
promoting investments in wind, solar and other forms of renewable power and cleaner power 

plants. 

Finally, I am also a mother which is perhaps the most compelling reason for me to provide 

comments today. We have an obligation to protect our children and future generations from 

climate change by addressing its causes including carbon pollution from power plants. I'm 

here to show my strong support for the Clean Power Plan. I'd urge the EPA to finalize the 

strongest carbon pollution standard for existing power plants, to address the main cause of 

climate change and to protect our health from its devastating impacts. I appreciate opportunity 

share my comments on this very critical issue. Thank you for your time.