A~,~ ~.EAGUE OF CO ~~S~'R~~'.>~°~'ION VO~"ERS 

, 

My name is Sara Chieffo and let me first say thank you for this opportunity to speak in strong 

support of the Environmental Protection Agency's proposed Clean Power Plan, which sets the 

first national limits on carbon pollution from existing power plants. I am here as a mom, an 

asthma sufferer, and as the Legislative Director at the League of Conservation Voters. 

I commend President Obama's leadership in addressing the challenge of our time — climate 

change — and strongly support the comprehensive Climate Action Plan he unveiled in June 

2013. A core pillar of that plan is limiting the pollution driving climate change from the nation's 

power plants. 

The science is clear. Climate change is here and human actions are the main cause. Across the 

country, people are seeing the impacts right outside their windows —the devastation wrought 

by Superstorm Sandy, the drought gripping California, or the wildfires and subsequent floods 

that ravaged Colorado this past summer. 

Our nation is already footing the bill for climate change. In 2013, there were seven separate 

weather and climate disasters whose price tags exceeded $1 billion. Taxpayers are stuck picking 

up the vast majority of these costs. 

Doctors, nurses, scientists and other experts have sounded the alarm. If we don't act, carbon 

pollution will lead to catastrophic impacts. Climate change is a clear threat to our health. 

Climate change's rising temperatures will make smog pollution worse, triggering asthma attacks 

and even permanently damaging children's developing lungs. 

Fossil fuel-fired power plants are the single largest source of carbon pollution in the United 

States — accounting for roughly 40% of annual global warming emissions. Until now, these 

polluters have been free to dump unlimited amounts of carbon pollution into our air. 

The EPA's proposed standards would finally change that. These state-by-state pollution 

reduction guidelines put states in the driver's seat when it comes to deciding what pollution 

reduction measures work best for them. The four building blocks the EPA has outlined are 

based on programs that have a proven track record of success in many states. 

Limiting carbon pollution is widely supported — including by an overwhelming four out of five 

young people. This isn't surprising given the generation with the most at stake. In fact, reducing 

carbon pollution from the nation's largest polluters is so common sense that most people 

assume limits are already in place. They know we limit the amount of inercury, arsenic and lead 

that power plants can spew into the air and the public expects we do the same for the pollution 

causing climate change. 

1920 L Street N W, Suite 800 • Washington, DC 20036 • 202-785-8683 • Fax: 202-835-0491 

Icv@Icv.org• www.lcv.org 
~~ 

7 l LEAGUE O° CONSERVATION VOTERS 

This proposed standard will protect public health, spur innovation in clean technologies, create 

new jobs, save consumers on their energy bills, and start us down the path of stopping 

dangerous climate disruption. It will help ensure the current market trends toward a cleaner, 

safer, and more modern power sector continue. 

This standard builds on the successful actions that the EPA, in partnership with the Department 

of Transportation has already taken to reduce carbon pollution from the nation's fleet of cars 

and trucks. 

LCV has already gathered over 150,000 comments in support of the Clean Power Plan. Our 

members are part of the record-breaking millions of concerned citizens across the country that 

have already voiced their support for the EPA setting limits on both new and existing power 

plants' carbon pollution. We commend the EPA for this proposal and encourage the agency to 

issue the strongest final standard possible, including increasing the assumptions about what 

reductions are achievable through investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy. 

I feel lucky to get up every day fighting for a safer planet and cleaner air. Thank you to EPA for 

being a partner in that fight. Looking into my year-old daughter's eyes is my daily reminder of 

what is at stake and why we must act now to stop dangerous climate disruption. 

Thank you. 

Contactinformation: 

Sara Chieffo 

Legislative Director 

League of Conservation Voters 

sara chieffo@lcv.orp 

202-785-8683 

1920 L Street NW, Suite 800 • Washington, DC 20036 • 202-785-8683 • Fax: 202-835-0491 

Icv@Icv.org• www.lcv.org