Barbara Weinstein Religious Action Center ofReform Judaism Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life bweinstein@rac.org EPA Public Hearing: Carbon Pollution Standard Washington, D.C. May24,2012 Hello, my name is BarbaraWeinstein. I am the Legislative Director ofthe Religious Action Center ofReform Judaism, the Washingtonoffice ofthe Union for Reform Judaism, which advocates on behalfofmore than 900 congregations and 1.5 million Reform Jews in the U.S. and Canada. I am also here onbehalfof the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life, composed of27 national Jewish organizations spanningthe full spectrum ofJewish religious and communal life. Thankyou for the opportunitytoday to speak in support ofthe EPA's proposed Carbon Pollution Standard for new powerplants. This standard marks an historic step toward developing comprehensive U.S. climate and energy policy, and we call onthe EPAto maintainthe strength ofthis proposed safeguard as it
moves toward issuing a final rule.

The looming crisis ofclimate change is an immense environmental, political, and economic challenge. But in the Jewish community, as in the faith communitybroadly, climate change is also a moral and spiritual challenge.Judaism teaches that we are partners with God in the world ofcreation, that we must "till and tend" the Earth (Genesis 2: 15)- and that is it not ours to abuse for
our own profit. Our ancient sages, writing well before there were powerplants or man-made carbon pollution, told us that God implored, "Take care, lest you spoil and destroy my world, because ifyou do, there is no one afteryou to make itright again" (Kohelet Rabbah 7:13). Ifwe fail to preserve and protect this world- our only world- by failing to address rising levels ofcarbonpollution, we betray our responsibility to one another and to future generations.

Our faith also instructs and guides us that in the most difficulttimes, even in times ofeconomic hardship or political conflict, all ofCreation is to be honored and protected. In Deuteronomy (20: 19) we read that it is forbidden to cut down fruit-bearing trees outside a (besieged) city. This reminderto honor ournatural resources, even when it may seem most imperative or expeditious to exploit them, is a lesson that inspires us in the secular sphere, as well. The standards proposedby the EPA address the heart ofournation's carbon problembytargeting powerplants, the country's largest source ofcarbon pollution. Existing powerplants emit more than 2 billion tons ofcarbon and other toxic pollutants each year- nearly 13,000 pounds for every man, woman, and child in the United States. And there are serious health, environmental, and economic
2consequences ofthose emissions. Scientists and experts agree: carbonpollution threatens public health and welfare by contributing to rising rates ofrespiratory ailments andheart attacks. These health issues disproportionately affect some more than others: particularly communities ofcolor, low-income communities, children, and older adults. Moreover, carbon pollution is agreed to be the main cause of climate change and is linkedto the rising number ofextreme weather events in recent years. Each year from 200I to 2011 has been one ofthe 12 warmestyears onrecord. The trend is projectedto continue, with April making history as the third warmest month everrecorded. The science is clear and our faith tradition inspires our understanding ofthe steps that must be taken to reduce carbon emissions and address the impacts of these harmful pollutants. That is why a recent survey conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute found that an overwhelming 69% ofAmerican Jews
are supportive oftougher laws and regulations to protect the environment, even if it raises prices. Today, it is OURresponsibility to protect our children from the impact of climate change. That includes the 55% ofAmerican children who in 2005, by this agency's own estimate, lived in counties in which the eight-hour ozone standard
was exceeded on at least one day per year. Today, it is OURresponsibility to help prevent ourcongregants and others in Missouri, Texas and Kansas from ever again
3knowing the devastation caused by the extreme weather events that swept their state this year and last. The same kinds ofextreme weather events, like heat waves, that this agency notes on its website are probable to become "more likely and progressively more intense over the course ofdecades undercurrent climate change scenarios." Today, it is OURresponsibilityto cut our carbon emissions and arrest the ever-worsening phenomenon ofclimate change. And we can do that by adopting the Carbon Pollution Standard for newpowerplants that this agency has proposed. The need for carbon limits has never been clearer. We commend the EPA for taking steps to limit these harmful emissions, and we call on the EPA to maintain the strength ofthis safeguard as it moves toward issuing a final rule.

4