Correspondence Management System 

: Control Number: AX-14-000-1284 

Printing Date: November 14, 2013 11:20:58 

Citizen Information 

Citizen/Originator: Bolander, Mark 

Organization: City of Newton 

Address: 108 North Van Buren Street, Newton, IL 62448 

Constituent: N/A 

Committee: N/A Sub-Committee: N/A 

Control Information 

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Status: 

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General Notes: 

CC: 

AX-14-000-1284 

Pending 

Nov 2X2013 

Nos/6, 2013 

AD-Administrator 

LTR (Letter) 

DX-Direct Reply 

Alternate Number: 

Closed Date: 

# of Extensions: 

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Addressee Org: 

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N/A 

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0 

Nov 12,2013 

EPA 

Normal 

N/A 

404-141-02-01 _141 _b Controlled and Major Corr. Record copy ofthe offices of Division 

Directors and other personnel. 

Daily Reading File EPA sponsered "Listening Session" scheduled 11/8/13 We urge EPA to 

consider impact new regulations would have on state's coal industry and people of IL 

DX-Respond directly to this citizen's questions, statements, or concerns 

N/A 

N/A 

OAR - Office of Air and Radiation — Immediate Office 

OCIR - Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations 

OEAEE - Office of External Affairs and Environmental Education 

OW - Office of Water ~ Immediate Office 

Lead Information 

Lead Author: Denise Gawlinski 

Office: 

Due Date: 

Assigned Date: 

Complete Date: 

Instruction: 

R5-OPA-CIS 

Nov 27, 2013 

Nov 13, 2013 

N/A 

DX-Respond directly to this citizen's questions, 

statements, or concerns 

Lead Assignments: 

Assigner Office Assignee Assigned Date Due Date Complete Date 

Brenda Salvado Salvador OEX R5 Nov 13, 2013 Nov27 2013 N/A 

Instruction: 

DX-Respond directly to this citizen's questions, statements, or concerns 

Gayvonn Gayvonne Gary R5 Kimberly Hoffman Nov 13, 2013 Nov 27, 2013 N/A 

Instruction: 

Prepare for division director signature. 

Page 1 of 2 
/ Q \ Correspondence Management System 

-~ Control Number: AX-14-000-1284 

Printing Date: November 14, 2013 11:20:58 

Supporting Information 

Supporting Author: N/A 

Supporting Assignments: 

Assigner Office Assignee Assigned Date 

Gayvonne Gary R5 James Daugherty Nov 13, 2013 

Gayvonne Gary R5 Ronna Beckmann Nov 13, 2013 

Gayvonne Gary R5 Denise Gawlinski Nov 13, 2013 

History 

Action By Office Action Date 

Brenda Salvador OEX Assign R5 as lead office Nov 13, 2013 

Gayvonne Gary R5 Accepted the group assignment Nov 13, 2013 

Gayvonne Gary R5 Assign Kimberly Hoffman as lead Nov 13, 2013 

Gayvonne Gary R5 Assign James Daugherty to support the control Nov 13, 2013 

Gayvonne Gary 

Gayvonne Gary 

Gayvonne Gary R5 Assign Ronna Beckmann to support the control Nov 13, 2013 

Gayvonne Gary R5 Assign Denise Gawlinski to support the control Nov 13, 2013 

Denise Gawlinski R5-OPA-CIS Take task Nov 13, 2013 

Denise Gawlinski R5-OPA-CIS Completed support assignment Nov 13,2013 

CMS 

CP 

CorrmpoimenTM Mflnagiinanl Syilsm 

Comments 

Commentator Comment Date 

No Record Found. 

Page 2 of 2 
Qity of, Afewten 

Incorporated City 

1887 

108 North Van Buren Street 

Newton, Illinois 62448 

Phone (618) 783-8451 

A City for Progress 

November 6,2013 ; ~~ 

Gina McCarthy ' jr"> 

Administrator < .._ 

Environmental Protection Agency " : 

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Tr 

Washington, DC 20460 2 

Dear Administrator McCarthy, 

In advance of the next U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-sponsored "Listening Session" 

scheduled for November 8 in Chicago, we urge you to consider the impact that new regulations 

would have on our state's coal industry and - more importantly - on the people of Illinois. 

The EPA's anticipated new limits on existing coal-fueled energy facilities could have a chilling 

effect on Illinois families and businesses and could prove devastating to countless working men 

and women whose livelihoods depend on those jobs in the industry throughout the state. 

Unfortunately, these proposals aimed at significantly limiting carbon dioxide emissions could 

make the EPA's goals impossible to achieve with commercially available and financially viable 

technology. In essence, government regulations are outpacing the available technology to meet 

the requirements. 

Coal is vital to Illinois. The state's coal industry employs tens of thousands of workers and 

Illinois is one ofthe top coal producers in the country. New regulatory standards could result in 

significantly higher electricity bills for all residential consumers and increased costs for small 

and large businesses. During a time when the Illinois economy is particularly precarious and 

with unemployment ranking the second highest in the nation, the new guidelines could also 

mean the end of good-paying jobs across the state. 

Providing for 45 percent of Illinois' electric power generation, coal powers the equivalent of 

more than 2.3 million homes and 141,000 businesses. Stricter regulations will decimate 

hardworking families who will pay what amounts to a regressive tax on energy. During the last 

decade, the cost of energy as a percentage of pre-tax income has nearly doubled for the middle 

class and a record 115 million Americans now qualify for energy assistance. 

By forcing costly operational upgrades or outright shuttering coal-fired energy facilities, 

residential electric bills will skyrocket without cheaper, alternative power sources. Illinoisans 

could see dramatic increases in their electricity bills. Those hurt most will be middle- and lowerincome families - who spend a much larger portion of their income on energy - and seniors, 
who have the highest per-capita residential energy consumption among users. 

New regulations would also force small business owners to shoulder the burden of these rising 

costs and resort to more expensive sources of energy to power their businesses and places of 

work. As production costs increase, so do the price of goods and services. Businesses would 

have to make up for the losses by raising prices, cutting employees or shutting down all 

together. 

Due to increased regulations, the number of jobs provided by the coal industry has dropped 

considerably over the past several years. Even so, coal still accounts for 31,180 jobs in Illinois, 

amounting to a combined annual payroll of $2.1 billion. These jobs serve as an economic engine 

to Central and Southern Illinois, areas of the state hardest hit by the recession. They also help 

stabilize our communities and generate of tax dollars that support schools, emergency 

response systems and safety-net services for residents. 

The bottom line is that we don't have to choose between a strong economy and jobs and a 

cleaner environment. We can protect the environment while still guarding the economic 

livelihoods of Illinois families and local communities. The U.S. has made great strides in 

reducing carbon dioxide emissions in recent years as power generators have invested more 

than $100 billion in new technology, which will continue to make a difference by creating 

efficiencies and benefitting the environment. 

Creating and maintaining a diverse energy mix ensures that the public receives a safe and 

affordable energy supply. Unreasonable restrictions will create all pain and no gain. They will 

drive up energy costs for lllinoisans, squeeze small businesses and eliminate good-paying jobs 

without a substantive impact on global carbon emissions. We implore you to consider the 

needs of all of Illinois before implementing more regulations on us. 

Mark Bolander 

Mayor 

City of Newton 
City of Newton 

108 N Van Buren 

Newton, IL 62448 

GINA MCCARTHY 

ADMINISTRATOR 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 

120 0 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, N.W . 

WASHINGTON, D C 2046 0 

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