Kevin Kuhn's testimony May 24, 2012 U.S. EPA office Chicago, IL Contact information: E-mail: kevinkuhn56@yahoo.com Street address: 11308 S. Forrestville Ave. Chicago, IL 60628

Good afternoon! My name is Kevin Kuhn and Iam trulygrateful that I have an Environmental Protection Agency that is looking out for my health! Thank you for organizing this hearing today in Chicago! Thank you for the importantwork thatyou do! I am personally involved with environmental activistwork in my neighborhood on the southside of Chicago, and I like to think ofyou, my EPA, as my role models, my heroes of hope! Iam encouraged by your environmental activism. High fives to you! You are now making this historic step by creating the first ever limits on carbon pollution from new power plants. Wow! These welcome newstandards will help us to make the transition to use more renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power. It is hopeful to drive thru rural Illinois and Indiana and see the tall, white windmillsthat are using renewable energy. It is hopeful to drive along 119'h street, in the West Pullman area, near my southside neighborhood, and see the largest solar farm in ourcountry in use. These new EPA Carbon Pollution Standards will help clean up and modernize the way we powerour country. This will spark more innovation in clean energy technologies that create good American jobs. I do not buy some polluters claims thatour EPA safeguards hurtjobs. I do nottrust polluters to police themselves. Icount on my EPA to protect me from dangerous carbon pollution
... and the dangerous lies that some would like to spin aboutthe safety of "clean coal." We are working on that goal.
.. together
... today. This is very inspiring! For many years, Iworked as a public health nurse for a local health department here in IIllinois. Iworked with people who had immigrated from countries that do NOT have astrong public health system or an enlightened EPA like Ido here with you. My clients had respiratory illnesses from serious air pollution in their native country or pulmonarytuberculosis from lack ofan adequate public health system. We have this opportunity today to prevent human suffering here in our USA, with these new carbon standards. We mustshowthe world that we are serious about cleaning up our own backyard. We must stop being aworld leader in carbon pollution. Thank you for leading us outof this mess! Ialso worked for many years as a public school teacher. I taught Social Studies and climate change was discussed in my classroom. Itcan be difficultforyoung people to know whatthey can personally do aboutsuch acomplicated problem. We must give them examples ofwhat they can do. This is what we are doing here today. Iacknowledge the young people that are speaking today. They see the strong connection between our US carbon pollution and global climate change. Ialso coached cross country and track for many years. I have seen some scary asthma attacks. Any person already suffering from asthma does not need the life-threatening air pollutants like dirty soot, toxic mercury, and the smog that comes carbon pollution, and in particular
...coal plants. And speaking ofcoal plants
...Iam involved in my neighborhood in efforts to prevent a new coal gasification plant from moving in
...commonly known as Leucadia. My southside neighbors and I intend

# l!:r-;4 

# s--;l'f-**c~** tostop this Leucadia plan for more coal pollution in ourown community. Now, I realize that these new EPA standards are intended for new power plants only. Leucadia is not a power plant. Leucadia would liketo use coal to create synthetic natural gas. However, Iam connecting the dots here. We need to move beyond coal in our country
...in whateverway coal may be used. We muststop our use ofthis cheap form of fossil fuel. Iam hopeful that these new EPA protections from carbon pollution will have a ripple effect on our country's use ofcoal in any form. I supportyou in settingthe standard and moving us beyond our heavy dependence on coal. Today is agood example ofworking together with my EPA to move beyond our dependence on coal.
.. and beyond justgood intentions. Together we are taking action. Thank you forthese new protections from carbon pollution. Isupportyou. I am grateful foryou!