I strongly supportthe proposed rules to cut the carbon pollution from our power plants, and urge a national move to the alternatives ofenergy efficiency and renewable energy. And Iwant to tell you why. With family roots to the east in Duquesne, and to the south in Jefferson, my family years ago moved from the mines ofsouthern PA to what was hoped a better life, betterwork, and followed theAmerican dream in Ohio. Still, like many ofthe folks around here, I grew up shoveling coal into the boiler in our basement to keep us warm, my family notknowing the neurological damage and long-term health effects ofcoal exposure. And though by age 13, we moved to town and left the old coalbin and boiler behind, when I lostvision in an eye, this wasjustthe beginning ofmy lifelong fight with Multiple Sclerosis. Eventually seven ofnine brothers and sisters developed an autoimmune system disease. And that "better work" the family had moved for, well for my Dad itwas 30 years at a coal fired rubber factory, and myfather passedjustbefore his 60th birthday. His arteries so weakenedtheyjust gave out. Back here in PA, cancers and blacklung have hit every group ofour extended family. And all this damage to my family,

..... this is only one ofthe real costs we personally pay for fossil fuel use, the illness, the medical bills, the lostproductivity and family lives forever shortened by pollution exposure. These are costs passed on to us by dirty energy production. And now with science, we learn thatthe costs ofpollution from fossil fuels is more thanjust a personal hazard, there are ever growing levels of pollution in our skies, causing changes that are bigger than anyone ofus could have imagined. And what we did yesterday will be paid for by all ofour kids tomorrow. Ironically, the oil man, T. Boone Picken's recently announced his" Five Principles ofEnergy." And the first principle listed is: a Clear Responsibility and Accountability for energy decisions. Ijoin Mr. Pickens and call for responsible energyuse, and accountability for harm caused in the pursuit ofa dollar. As the President recently said, Alow-carbon, clean energy economy can be an engine for growth andjobs for decades to come. Well, IwantAmerica to build that clean engine.What a shame itwould be ifinstead ofworking to make Americathe world leader in Clean energy, we continue to waste ourtime arguing howfast should we go backwards, hiding from a problem has never been ourway. As we move forward with clean energy we should also remembermy family, and all the other families in this area, because we are left as clear examples of the past poor energy decisions made without regard for the health effects, and those bad decisions hurt us all. And even now, limits on coal dust exposure have not been updated in Over 40 years!

I call on all ofour state and national leaders respond positively to the proposed carbon rules with investmentsin greater energy efficiency and move to carbon-free,

.......... and toxin free, clean energy development. We can solve this problem for future families ofAmericans. ForJobs, for the environmentwe live in, for my kids andyour kids, We need to move swiftly to approve the Clean Power Plan, to slow carbon pollution, and to make sure dirty energy does notcause physical harm to more generations ofAmericans

Thomas Collins 8105 South Park Garrettsville, Ohio 44231 tomcollins@neo.rr.com