The United States Environmental Protection Agency New Source Pollution Standards for Carbon Pollution Washington D.D. Hearing Thursday, May 24, 2012 The Testimony of Alycia Ashburn Director, Creation Care Campaign, aashburn(a1sojo.net I 202-745-4653 wvvw.sojo.net- 3333 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20010

My presence and testimony here today- in support ofthe EPA'sNew Source Standards for**~ +~(MS**  Carbon Pollution- is as much a personal act as it is a professional one.

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### ~ L .J p..r**_!)t.~** 1 111!.**~** While 1am here wearing my ''workhat"- as director ofthe creation care campaign at Sojourners/a

# ~**1t~~** -I wear my many other hats at the same time: U.S. citizen, Christian, congregation member and**t(Jt1'1tV**

### 11**'l-~** trainer for Lutherans Restoring Creation, biologist, wife, daughter, runner, Nat'! Park lover, and

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# \ last but certainly not least, especially in this context: astluna sufferer. c..\

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# G 11"7T• \..L-- I wasn't born with asthma. In fact, one could argue that it was- at least in part- an occupational hazard that led to it. When my love ofGod's creation led me to graduate school, I spent many hours, days, & months in plots oftrees fumigated with ozone and carbon dioxide (studying insects living in those trees and the impact ofair pollution on their communities). Even though I wore a breathing mask as much as possible, I still developed astluna. Iknow- it's ironic. My study ofair pollution led to my own personal health battle with it. Ironic for me, maybe, because I chose my field ofstudy; but not ironic for so many others in the U.S. Upon publicizing this EPA rule and urging Sojourners' members to submit comments viaour website, over 3300 people have responded. Some ofthem have shared their very personal, ongoing battles with air pollution. '- .u**~~W.** ,-f' 

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. Here arejusta few examples: From Thomas in Tulsa, OK: "As a chronic astlunatic, clean air is notjust a nice thing to have-- it's a matter oflife and death."
From William in Ames, lA: "! lost a dear brother a few months ago to asthmadue to a life time in a polluted, smoggy city. We must get ourpriorities straight and support suchrules that will enhance the possibility ofthe generations yet to come having sustainable clean air. Please stay the course.''From Linda in Sault St. Marie, MI: "I totally encourage you to adopt these emissions standards. !lived south ofa coal-fired powerplant for I0 years and know first-hand the impact it had on the local environment. Every north wind brought a newlayer ofgray dust onand into my house. My family had repeated upper respiratory infections. When the company plantedfoliage onthe coal piles and covered the unloading booms from the freighters, air quality improved. Additional regulations can only help more." From Calvin in Norman, OK: "When !livedin Conneaut, OH, and Ponca City, OK, power plants would release their pollutants into the air after midnight. It made my wife and oldest son so sick we had to move from both places ondoctor's orders. That should not be allowed. Please put our and the earth's health as top priority."
From Michael in West Hartford, CT: '"I am aworking family physician and see the effects of pollution on a daily basis. Iwish myjobwere easier- please help make it so."
From Wyatt inIndiana: "

.... In Indianapolis, in the heart ofamajor coal power generation state, air quality still detrimentally affects children who attend schools near energy-generating stations. These are current etTects. Those relatedto greenhouse emissions are untold butpotentially devastating not only to lungs but to entire ecosystems. " From Tyler in Lancaster, PA: "Itwould be great to have clean air to breathe. I breathe every day, and it would be great ifwe can improve air quality so my Mom, brother, and friends don't suffer from asthma and other air-quality related afflictions." From Sandra in MountJoy, PA: "I am supporting this newrule from the EPA, because breathing clean air shouldn't be a "choice" or atalking point, because it is essential to ourhealth! What kind ofcountry would hurt its owncitizensjust so polluters can have their way? It's unconscionable and also immoral. Clean air AND clean water shouldn't be a privilege; it's a right ofevery American, and every human being." [more stories?] These are the folks who have internet access and enough time to write in and share their stories. Whose stories are we not hearing? How about those who don'thave access to health care? Ihave great health insurance and access to specialists. I can take preventativemedication and behavioral precautions. But so many cannot. Ithink Dr. Marlene from Worthington, OH says it best: "We can't sacrifice public health to cheap energy! And what is "cheap?!" For all the people in our country- children, adults, old persons, who have trouble breathing

.... My religion teaches our duty to respect and love our environment as God's creationfor sustaining our lives. It is ungodly to contaminate, and it is also bad environmental policy to sacrificethe breath oflife to the greed ofcertain economicdriven interests. Stop the pollution, please." These folks could not be here today, but Ithought their voices shouldbe heard as they represent so many others. Thank you.