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• Testimony forthe Proposed Carbon Pollution Guidelines Bythe United States Environmental ProtectionAgency for Existing Power Plants and Emission Standards for Modified and Reconstructed Power Plants
By: Jim Egged Firefighter Emeritus Certified Hazardous Materials Technician Presenting on July31, 2014

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• Thank you very much for the opportunity to present testimony on clean power. I am going approach this in an unconventional manner because I do want this testimony to go on record. At the end it will all come together, berelevant and on topic. My name is Jim Egged and I am a retired firefighter. I was one ofonly two members ofthe department to be placed on the county mutual aid hazardous incident responseteam. Myretirement has been a continuation ofmy dedication to public safety, advocating for the environment is a matterofpublic safety. Without ahabitable environmentthe public safety cannot be assured.
I want to express the fact that I am one fed up American. The grid lock in Washington has been a well orchestrated effort to undermine the legitimacy ofthis Presidency. The fact alone that we elected this man President is historically significant. For some reason there are those in this country who have issues with his family living in the White House. However, the legacy that could have been and still can be left by this President is so much more than that. This proceeding about the rules on Carbon Pollution isjust an example ofthe positive impact our President can leave to history. Those setting up deliberate roadblocks to the progress both environmentally and economically care not for life ofthis 1country. Long-term benefits are being forsaken for short-term gams. These people know who they are and continue an active propaganda campaign brainwashing their followers into accepting pseudo sc1ence because it benefits these greedover safety mongers.
Oh the mutinous crew members ofthis crippled ship can sit at the opposite endofthe Mall andpointtheir collective fingers at the White House and say, "Itis that branchthathas chosento refuse to cooperate." Then have the unmitigated gall to file a lawsuit because the President is doing what is necessaryto ensure the continued safe andprosperous living conditions that folks in this country have come to enjoy. Ihave bad news for you, it is obviousto even the most casual ofobserversjust wherethe obstruction to afunctional government lies. Forthat I wantto express my most sincere and heart felt apologizeto President Obama from thepeople who truly care for survival ofthis country and habitability ofthe planet. Thank you for beingyou 0 Captain, my Captain.
President Obamatook command ofa shipthat was seriously listingto starboard. He made every effortto put our country on atrue course towardthe Seas ofProsperity and Sustainablity. Instead ofcooperating withthe captain, certain mutinous members ofthe crew listened to 2 

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• oversizedfeline passengers aboardour stalled vessel whoconvincedthem it is betterthatwe stay dead in the water. Theybelieve they have theirlife vests on and have secured theirplace on the long boats, their grandchildren haven't.
0 Captain! My Captain! Our fearful trip is not yet done, the ship has weather'd everyrack, theprize we sought is notyet won, This Proceeding, 0 Captain! my Captain! is you rising up to hearthe bells; Rising up-foryou the flag is flung-foryou the bugle trills. Your Presidency has not fallen cold and dead. My Captain does answer, I trust Walt Whitman wouldnot be disappointed in my taking some literary license with his poem (Leaves ofGrass (David McKay, 1891)
Back on topic here. The Clean Power Plan can help clean up our air and maintain a healthy environment for our children and their children. Only the EPA needs to strengthen the standard, by prioritizing renewable energy, I am sure you are well aware that we have a 5billion year supply ofenergyjust a mere 8 light minutes away, smiling down on us every single day. That is just one of the revewable non-threating means of generating energy. In the mean time we can work on energy efficiency. We need to ensure that affected communities and workers have a seat at the table. We also 3need to ensure that we have the resources to transition to a clean energy economy. States can and should craft comprehensive implementation plans that will result in netjob creation across the country and ensure a fair andjusttransition whenpowerplants are retired. It does need to be said that climate scientists agree that a much greater reduction in TOTAL greenhouse gas emissions, upwards of40 percent by 2020. is needed to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. These international scientists warned us years ago that developed countries I ike the United States must reduce their emissions 25 to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 to avoid tipping the scales further toward a climate catastrophe. I am an activist and will take your lead back to the State of Michigan and do my part.
That being said, carbon dioxide is not the only climate change carbon molecule we have to worry about. Methane, a cute little carbon atom hooked up with four hydrogen atoms. Data from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), recognizing that methane is 86 times more potent than C02 over a twenty-year time frame. at trapping heat. In fact it hangs about the atmosphere for a century. This means ofcourse, even ifwe discontinue all ofour artificial spewing ofgreenhouse gases into ourprecious envelope ofprotection, the average surface temperature ofour Garden ofEden will continue to rise. Then, with any luck, it will 4 

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• level off. Hopefully this is the first step the EPA will take at the President's leadership in making the United States a team player in the fight to inhibit anthropogenic Climate Change. Obviously what I am saying is that methane issues needto be addressed as well.
I tell you, they say the sea turns so dark that you know it's time you see the sign. They say the point demons guard is an ocean grave, for all the brave it is me that is saying, "How long, how long, How long to the point ofknow return?" that is K- N --0 -W (That is word the song uses by the way). Today I send a message floating in the sea to you from me It says thatwhen I could see it, I crywith fear, the Point is nearit is me that says, "How long, howlong To the Point ofKnow Return?"
Ok, I took literary license with the Kansas song but the idea is we don't know how long to the point, that we will know we can return. The problem is there will be no satisfaction in saying we told you so. Should we getto thepointwe cannot stop arunawaygreenhouse effectbecause it will betoo late.
I am not a doomsdayprognosticator. However, we do needto prepare for the worst and perhaps intercede to prevent disaster. Sure we cannot be certain that the worse possible outcomes will see themselves to their 5

### fruition. We do know that doing nothing can only lead to disaster. History has born this out. As a firefighter I can tell you that fire safety measures do not stem from aproactive effort.
The establishment of a safe organized means of exiting a school and practicing that procedure as well as placing fire alarms in buildings of public assembly did not come about until 92 students and 3nuns losttheir lives inthe OurLady ofAngels fire ofDecember 1, 1958in Chicago. The Coconut Grove Nightclub fire ofNovember 28, 1942 where 492 people lost their lives lead to capacity limitations ofpublic gather places and having exits clearly marked and illuminated. On March 25th of2011 it was 1OOth anniversary ofThe Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York where 146 women lost their lives including two young girls there were only 14 years-old. This fire lead to work place safety laws and standards. The Iroquois Theater fire of December 30, 1903 resulted in 605 deaths. Could this unnecessary loss oflife have been prevented? The answer to that question is an emphatic, Yes! That is why my chronology of this goes backward in time, to demonstrate that there was already evidence ofimpending disasters to come.
We have had a year of extreme weather that happens to be the most recent episode ofwhat appears to be a trend. Do we want to ignore these 6 

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• installments ofclimate history andplay them offas merely anecdotal and not evidentiary? Perhaps these are possibly only the result ofa naturally occurring cycle that will balance itselfout? After all, it was only 20,000 years ago our climate began to come out ofan ice age. Let's not wait for disaster to strike before we say, "Ifwe could have ofbut, or ifwewould have, or we should have but." If, ifs and buts were candy and nuts it would be Christmas everyday. Taking no action would be a gamble with the future.
At the age of 55, I may not see any dyer consequences of climatic changes. I do not have grandchildren, yet! With one son and three stepsons, all in the young adult range, I am anticipating that revelation in the near future. I am not willingto bet againstthehouse here and sitback anddo nothing. Iwantmy future grandchildren andtheirgrandchildrento enjoythe same beautiful planet Ihave. I do notwantthem to haveto fight the environment in ordertojustsurvive. I don't know ifthat particular set of circumstances will be the case, I don't know that it won't be either. We must do what is in the best possible interest for ourfuture generations; this includes planning for the worse case scenario. Ifthatdoes not panout, then itis all thatmuch better for ourgrandchildren andtheirgrandchildren.

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### This tiny orb that floats on the fabric ofspace-time is the only home our 

# • species and all the other species from the kingdoms oflife, know. As the current dominate creatures it is incumbent upon us to be the stewards of this spacecraft. Please, please, continueto proceed in apositiveproactive manner with your efforts to preserve and sustain a livable garden for all ofGod's creatures.
There are no lifeboats on this ship and we have no floatation devices compatible with the abyss of space to don in order to maintain our existence until we reach safe harbor. This it, this is all we have my friends. Let us stopping arguing about who is correct here and initiate 

# • standards that will ensure the safety and well being offuture generations even ifthis climate change thing is just a freak ofnature and we will return to a stable climate. Hopefully we have not reached the point that we know we can still return. Once we are there we will not be able to return because the next step takes us beyond. That is when the ride gets really scary! The only argument against these changes in rules and standards is it will cost money to the Capitalist who provide jobs. Well the cost of conducting ourbusiness as usual couldproveto bemuch moredear. Let's obtain a little insurancefor the future eh? Thereis no dollar sign onpeace 

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