TESTIMONY FROM GARY BOTZEK EPA PROPOSED RULE ESTABLISHING STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE FOR GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FOR NEW STATIONARY SOURCRS: ELECTRIC UTILITY GENERATING UNITS WASHINTON, DC MAY 24,2012

Good afternoon. Thank you for the opportunity to come before this panel today and add my strong support for the carbonrule for new power plants in this country. Myname is Gary Botzek and I serve as the executive director ofthe Minnesota Conservation Federation located in St. Paul, MN. The membership ofthe MCF includes local sportsmen's clubs from around the state, as well as, individuals and other conservation organizations in Minnesota. Our members work byday and hunt and fish but nights and weekends. Minnesota is known for its lakes, streams, and rivers. We have over 12,000 lakes and 92,000 miles ofshoreline. Minnesotans love the out ofdoors and we live it year round! We hunt and we fish. We bike and we hike. We swim and we eat and drink the great out ofdoors. However, our water and our air are not as clean as they used to be, should be, and need to be. The MinnesotaDepartment ofHealth offers fish consumption advice on its website. They state that eating fish is an excellent source oflow-fat protein, but warns that some fish could contain contaminants such as mercury that can harm human health-especially for children and fetuses. We have fish advisories for mercury in our fish are on almost all ofour lakes.Botzek, page 2 The mercury in our fish comes from coal powerplants within the state, surrounding states, and Canada. Ourutilities have done an above averagejob ofconverting coal burning electrical generation plants to natural gas and upgrading the soot scrubbertechnology in the exhaustpipes. Minnesota is rich with fish and wildlife. Many ofour animal species, like trout and moose, are sensitive to temperature change. Milderwinters are affectingthe migration patterns ofour waterfowl, including ducks and loons. The story ofthe moose population is not a pretty picture in Minnesota. Annual aerial surveys taken from helicopter over flights showthat the state's primary moose population located in the state'snortheastern Arrowhead region has been halved injust years-droppingfrom 8.840 animals in 2006 to 4,240 this year. Mildwinters andbalmy spring and fall seasons require moose to use more strength to cool themselves. The milder winters also allow parasites and ticks to survive the winters and do more damage on the native moose. We need normal colder winters; not warmer ones assisted by climate change caused by fossil fueled power plants, factories, and automobiles. The MCF supports the passage and implementation oflegislation andrules that include reductions ofgreenhouse gas emissions. We arejoinedbymany other conservation and environmental organizations in Minnesota. I live nearthe largest coal burning electrical generationpowerplant in the state-Sherco. Due to windmovement the airpollution from this plant is affectingthe air quality in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and the Voyageurs National Park. This haze is ofmajor concernto the park users and the general public. Sherco has three plants in one location-two of which are currentlyoperational. The MinnesotaPollution Control Agency and others are keepingthe pressure on the utility is do more in terms of retrofittingthe plants with cleanertechnology.Botzek, page 3 This plant is an excellent example why it is so very critical for the EPAto move to tackle emissions from existing coal-fired plants. Strong new standards for new coal plants are the first step! We are very proud to live and work and recreate inMinnesota. Once we get our sporting teams in shape, we will be again a "perfect place" once again to raise ourkids and grandkids. However, wemust continue to ask our businesses, including utilities, to do the bestjob that they canto improve and quality ofour air andwaters. Asrate buyers we are payingthem to do the right thing! At MCF meetings we open up our meetings with the pledge that goes like this: "Igive mypledge as anAmerican to save and faithfully defend from waste the natural resources ofmy country; its air, soil andminerals; its forests, waters, and wildlife. We, in Minnesotatryhard every day to practice what we pledge! This proposedrule will go a long way in the correct direction ofourpledge. Thank you.