U.S.EPA PUBLIC HEARING ON REGULATIONS FOR EXISTING COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS 

PITTSBURGH, PA AUGUST 1, 2014 

MY NAME IS SISTER DONNA ZWIGART. I AM SISTER OF THE SISTERS OF ST. FRANCIS OF THE NEUMANN 

COMMUNITIES WHOSE 452 MEMBERS MINISTER MAINLY IN THE US. WE ALSO HAVE MISSIONS IN 

AFRICIA AND PERU. 

OUR WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA REGIONAL HOUSE IS IN MILLVALE, A BOROUGH ABOUT THREE MILES 

FROM DOWNTOWN PITTSBURGH. 

I WANT TO EXTEND MY GRATITUDE TO YOU FOR ELICITING COMMENTS FROM THE CITIZENS ON THE 

PROPOSED REGULATIONS FOR EXISITING COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS. 

AS YOU MAY KNOW, ST. FRANCIS WAS DECLARED THE PATRON OF ECOLOGY BY THE UNITED NATIONS 

ABOUT 35 YEARS AGO. SOI FEEL QUALIFIED , AS A FRANCISCAN, TO MAKE MY TESTIMONY HERE TODAY. 

ST. FRANCIS WAS NOT ONLY ABOUT BIRD BATHS AND GARDENS HIS INCITES WERE ABOUT 

RELATIONSHIPS. WE ARE ALL BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN THIS KINDOM OF EARTH. WE ARE OUR 

BROTHERS AND SISTERS KEEPERS AS PART OF THE FAMILY OF ALL OF CREATION. WE ARE KIN! SO 

WHATEVER EFFECTS OR HARMS OUR KIN IS OF GREAT CONCERN TO US. 

IF THE AIR WE BREATHE IS POLLUTED THEN ALL OF THE EARTH'S FAMILY IS HAMPERED AND CANNOT BE 

HEALTHY. WE HAVE SEEN EVIDENCE OF THIS IN OUR PITTSBURGH REGION. WE HAVE ONE OF THE 

HIGHEST CASES OF LUNG CANCER, COPD AND ASMATHA, ESPECIALLY IN OUR CHILDREN. OUR 

POLLUTION LEVEL IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST IN THE US. 

WE FRANCISCANS AFFIRM AND ENDORSE THE PROPOSED EPA'S CLEAN AIR REGULATIONS FOR EXISTING 

COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS AS THIS ACTION WILL HELP TO DRIVE DOWN THE CARBON EMISSIONS. 

IF WE TAKE NOTE WHERE MANY OF THE COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS RESIDE IT IS IN LOW-INCOME 

NEIGHBORHOODS. POOR PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES SUFFER THE WORST OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF 

CLIMATE CHANGE IN EPIC FLOODING, PROLONGED DROUGHTS AND HEAT WAVES . OUR ECONOMY 

ALSO IS EFFECTED WITH LOSS OF JOBS AND INCREASED MEDICAL COSTS AND DESTRUCTION OF OUR 

PLANET. OUR KIN ARE SUFFERING. THEY NEED TO MIGRATE TO SAFER PLACES, BUT CAN FIND NONE. 

STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT VICTIMS OF CLIMATE CHANGE PROVIDE FOR AN ESCULATION OF HUMAN 

TRAFFING. THESE ARE OUR KIN! 

I WOULD ASK THE EPA TO INCLUDE IN THE LEGISLATION WAYS TO HELP OUR KIN WHO WILL LOSE THEIR 

JOBS BY PROVIDING EDUCATION FOR NEW TECHNOLOGICAL EMPLOYMENT FOR THEM. GIVE OUR 

BRIGHT MINDS THE INCENTIVES TO DISCOVER NEW WAYS TO SOLVE OUR ENERGY PROBLEMS. FUTURE 

GENERATIONS ARE AT RISK IN A CLIMATE ALTERED PLANET. DO WE CARE FOR OUR CHILDREN, 

GRANDCHILDREN AND THEIR OFFSPRING? BLRYING OUR HEADS IN THE SAND OF DENIAL OF EFFECTS 
OF CLIMATE CHANGE FOR FINANCIAL GAIN WILL NOT BE A GOOD INVESTMENT FOR FUTURE 

GENERATIONS. IT IS A POOR ROI. 

MANY GROUPS HAVE VOICED THEIR THOUGHTS ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE HARMFUL 

ALTERATIONS TO OUR PLANET CAUSED BY CARBON EMMISIONS. AMOUNG OUR KIN ARE THE US 

CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS, THE INTERFAITH COMMUNITY HERE OUR CITY, FRANCISCAN 

THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, POPE FRANCIS AND GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTALISTS. 

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK HERE AND I LEAVE YOU WITH A QUOTE THAT POPE 

FRANCIS REMINDED THE WORLD IN MAY, 2014: "'CREATION IS A GIFT, IT IS A WONDERFUL GIFT THAT 

GOD HAS GIVEN US, SO THAT WE CARE FOR IT AND USE IT FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL, ALWAYS WITH 

GREAT RESPECT AND GRATITUDE." 

MAY GOD GIVE YOU PEACE