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Cory Jones 

3811 West School Street 

Chicago, TL 60618 

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Public Comment on Proposed Carbon Pollution Standard for Power Plants 

(Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2011-0660) 

In SUPPORT ofthe proposed Carbon Pollution Standard for New Power Plants 

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My name is Cory Jones. I live here in Illinois, a state that produces 25 percent more power 

than it currently needs, yet Illinois is a state that has been perpetually targeted for the building 

of new power plants due to our significant coal reserves. Without any kind of regulation, 

Illinois would soon become the ashtray of the Midwest. 

By setting up carbon pollution protections, I congratulate the EPA for moving forward to clean 

up and modernize the way we power our nation. 

As the proposed standard would require new coal plants to incorporate technologies that 

reduce carbon pollution, I applaud the EPA for this critical first step toward curbing global 

warming pollution, protecting public health, preserving the environment, and taking commonsense steps to secure a clean energy future for America. 

As the proposed carbon pollution standard would not affect existing power plants, nor any 

plants that are already permitted or set to begin construction within the next year, some critics 

call this new standard only symbolic. These critics give the EPA credit for acknowledging 

global warming is a problem, but subtract points from your kudos for not taking dramatic 

steps to cut current emissions. 

I'd like to give the EPA more credit than that assessment, which is based on a short term 

market analysis of cheap and readily accessible natural gas. Those who think this standard is 

only symbolic are assuming that no new coal plants will be built due to the cost of carbon 

capture. However, if the price of natural gas significantly increases or the markets become 

unstable as the 50 year supply everyone is so certain that we have-- comes into question, 

Illinois' vast coal reserves could again look very attractive. 

This first step -implementing a standard on future carbon pollution is very commendable. 

It is however, just the first step. 

An interesting observation about government regulations. 

Government regulations are often referred to as a negative, a detriment to progress, a 

hinderance to innovation. 

Perhaps the corporations that perpetuate such talk have forgotten that it was an act of 

government in 1790 that has fostered the for profit pursuit of new technologies. 

In 1790 Government "Interference" set the stage for "for-profit" innovation by creating the 

modern American patent system, signed into law by President George Washington, effectively 

setting parameters and limitations around the industry of product innovation. 
=================== 

Cory Jones 

3811 West School Street 

Chicago, IL 60618 

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Since then our government has regulated: 

--Food Safety via the FDA for the food we eat 

--Automotive Safety for the cars we drive 

(Helping to make exploding Ford Pintos a thing of the past.) 

So what is the controversy with clean air regulations keeping safe the air we breathe, 

and keeping safe the planet that all of us, democrats and republicans alike, depend 

on for our survival? 

Clean air and clean energy regulations 

will encourage the development of smarter solutions to meet future energy demands. 

Clean air and clean energy regulations 

will protect future generations by mandating better stewardship practices of our 

environment. 

I would argue that government regulations can be a positive change for the future. 

And that change is in your hands right now. 

I understand the EPA is also crafting carbon regulations for oil refineries and other stationary 

pollution sources. According to a Washington Post article on March 27'', 

"All of these future rules could matter a lot: A 2010 report from the World 

Resources Institute found that the EPA carbon rules, when fully deployed, could 

cover about three-quarters of the country's greenhouse gas sources and reduce U.S. 

carbon emissions anywhere from 5 percent to 12 percent below 2005 levels by 

2020." 

But like the Washington Post also said, this can only happen if the leadership team at the EPA 

implements these rules and regulations to their fullest extent. Please consider doing just that. 

So thank you for being here today, and for being part of the leadership team that is chartered 

with protecting our future. 

This is a terrific first step. 

Thank You.