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# INTERFAITH Interfaith Power & Light 0 

# S{:ower z cia IFC 

### 1 00 Allison St NW 

### • (.) Washington, DC 20011 

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# Light • 

### c 202-256-1450 •joelle@gwipl.org ::!: Through ourlocal Interfaith Power & Light program, hundreds ofcongregations ofall religious traditionswork together on energy and climate issues. This morning, I'm only the first ofa diverse group ofreligious leaders from Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and DC who will speakin support ofthe EPA's proposed Carbon Pollution Standards for New Power Plants. Our words will be joined, also, by those ofreligious leaders testifying at today's hearings in Chicago. And overthe coming month, many ofthe 14,000 congregations in the Interfaith Power & Light movement nationally will be sending our messages to the EPA in written testimony. The teaching from my own tradition that informs my thoughts on this comes from Rabbi Isaac ben Sheshet, a 14th Century scholar ofJewish law. He wrote: 

### "One is forbidden from gaining a livelihood attbe expense of another's bealtb" (Responsa 196). Simple, ethical wisdom. Not bad for Medieval Spain. For too long- here- now- those who operate our power plants have been permitted to gain theirlivelihoods atthe expense ofpeople's health. Right now, coal pollution in the United States results in more than $100 billion dollars annually in health costs. 12,000emergency room visits peryearare due to coal-related illnesses. Here in DC, we have one ofthe nation's highest asthma rates, particularlyamong children. 10,000 children in our nation's capital city sometimes struggle to breathe because ofour dirty air. Someone is making their living atthe expense ofthese kids' health! And it should be forbidden in this country for folks in the energy business-orfor anyone else-to make their livelihood atthe expense ofpeople's health. In the religious communities with which Iwork, people are heart-sick about the role ofcoal power in producing the heat-trapping gases that are causingglobal climate change. They are working to reduce their electricityuse in their sanctuaries and at home. They are using their energy dollars to supportwind energy generation. They are working to bring off-shore wind powerto our coasts, and they are figuring outhow to finance solar panels for their roofs. So often, we are told thatthe change we are tryingto make is unrealistic because clean renewable energy is so expensive,while coal power is cheap. 

### In fact, coal poweris intolerably expensive- butuntil now, its true costs have been borne by others. Who bears the cost ofthe permanent destruction ofa mountain through mountain-top removal mining? Who bears the cost ofburied streams, air pollution from coal prep plants, and toxic coal ash dump sites? Who bears the cost of bad air quality, the cost ofkids with asthma, and seniors having heart attacks, and pregnant mothers with mercury in their bodies?Who bearsthe cost ofstronger storms, extreme drought, devastating floods, and other scary weather caused by global climate change? On this historic morning, for the first time, the EPA stands poised to set national limits on our nation's largest sources ofcarbon pollution. Protecting people's health and the climate is the only wayto take a truer measure of the real cost ofcoal power. Please approve Carbon Pollution Standards for New Power Plants. New power plants shouldn'tbe permitted to damage our climate or make people sick. Thankyou.