The United States Environmental Protection Agency 

New Source Poll uti on 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 of the EPA's New Source Standards for ~ +~(MS 

Carbon Pollution- is as much a personal act as it is a professional one. zt re. ~·...._ """; fl,_ ,__ ~ L .J 

p..r _!)t.~ 1 111!. ~ 

While 1 am here wearing my ''work hat"- as director of the 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(Jt1'1tV11'l-~ 

trainer for Lutherans Restoring Creation, biologist, wife, daughter, runner, Nat'! Park lover, and -kJ ~ ;~ \ 

last but certainly not least, especially in this context: astluna sufferer. c..\ .. , 0 G 11"7 T• \..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 of God's creation led me to graduate school, I spent many 

hours, days, & months in plots of trees fumigated with ozone and carbon dioxide (studying 

insects living in those trees and the impact of air pollution on their communities). Even though I 

wore a breathing mask as much as possible, I still developed astluna. I know- it's ironic. My 

study of air pollution led to my own personal health battle with it. 

Ironic for me, maybe, because I chose my field of study; but not ironic for so many others in the 

U.S. 

Upon publicizing this EPA rule and urging Sojourners' members to submit comments via our 

website, over 3300 people have responded. Some of them have shared their very personal, 

ongoing battles with air pollution. '- .u ~~W. ,-f' -f-.;'r"-. . 

Here are just a few examples: 

From Thomas in Tulsa, OK: "As a chronic astlunatic, clean air is not just 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 asthma due to a life time 

in a polluted, smoggy city. We must get our priorities straight and support such rules that will 

enhance the possibility of the 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 of a coal-fired power plant for I 0 years and know first-hand the impact it had on the 

local environment. Every north wind brought a new layer of gray dust on and into my house. 

My family had repeated upper respiratory infections. When the company planted foliage on the 

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 !lived in 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 on doctor'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 a working family physician and see the effects of 

pollution on a daily basis. I wish my job were easier- please help make it so." 

From Wyatt in Indiana: " .... In Indianapolis, in the heart of a major coal power generation state, 

air quality still detrimentally affects children who attend schools near energy-generating stations. 

These are current etTects. Those related to greenhouse emissions are untold but potentially 

devastating not only to lungs but to entire ecosystems. " 

From Tyler in Lancaster, PA: "It would be great to have clean air to breathe. I breathe every day, 

and it would be great if we can improve air quality so my Mom, brother, and friends don't suffer 

from asthma and other air-quality related afflictions." 

From Sandra in Mount Joy, PA: "I am supporting this new rule from the EPA, because breathing 

clean air shouldn't be a "choice" or a talking point, because it is essential to our health! What 

kind of country would hurt its own citizens just 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 of every 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't have access to health care? 

I have great health insurance and access to specialists. I can take preventative medication and 

behavioral precautions. But so many cannot. 

I think 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 creation for sustaining our lives. It is ungodly to contaminate, and it is 

also bad environmental policy to sacrifice the breath of life to the greed of certain economicdriven interests. Stop the pollution, please." 

These folks could not be here today, but I thought their voices should be heard as they represent 

so many others. Thank you.