### Testimony of Peter M. lwanowicz, AssistantVice President American Lung Association on the Proposed Power Plant Carbon Pollution Standard May 24,2012

Chicago, IL Good morning. My name is Peter lwanowicz; Iam AssistantVice Presidentwith the American Lung Association. I am pleased to provide testimony in support ofthe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposed Power Plant Carbon Pollution Standard. The standard is historic in that it sets the first national standards for power plant carbon pollution. The standard is equally important because it represents the next step in what is needed to address pollution from power plants. Power plant pollution kills and makes people sick. Enforcing clean air protections, such as the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule and the Power Plant Mercury and AirToxic Standards, will dramatically improve public health. By proposing standards for carbon pollution from new facilities, the EPA is setting the stage forthe next generation ofAmerica's power plants to be the leasttoxic and most modern in the world. Doing anything less shortchanges our children's health and future generations. Today, you will hearthe tremendous supportthatthis rule has with the public. More than 1 million comments in supportofthe rule have come in since earlyApril. I am told that this is the most comments that EPA has ever received on a rule and there is still a month left before the comment period closes. This affirms the supportthat we found in a recent poll ofvoters. According to a bipartisan survey conducted forthe American Lung Association, voters strongly support EPA's efforts to update clean air protections. An astounding 72 percent ofvoters surveyed specifically want EPAto set limits on power plant carbon pollution. Also, people don't buy into industry's "false choice" that we must choose between public health and astrong economy. According to the same poll conducted forthe American Lung Association, nearlythree quarters (73 percent) ofvoters saythat we do not have to choose between air quality and a strong economy- we can achieve both.And a 2-to-1 majority (60 to 31 percent) believes that strengthening safeguards against pollution will create, not destroy, jobs by encouraging innovation. But numbers and polling information cannot speak for the people who we have met during the pastyearwho are getting more involved in thefightfor air.
Iam a Dad, I live in upstate New York with my wife and two children. And Iwork outof the national ALA office in Washington, DC. They know that when I leave home each week that Iam fighting to makethe air healthy, to maketheirgeneration's future brighter. And they know that when I return home each week, Iwill have met another person that is in need ofclean airand hasjoined the fight as well. This week, it is Judy. I met her here in Chicago yesterday. She had a double lung transplant 3 years ago. She understandsthe value ofevery breath she takes and wants each one to be with airthat is cleanerthan it is now. Let's stand up forJudy. Jake is a boy I met in Maine lastyear. His Dad calls him the canary in the coal mine, because Jake's asthma gets worse even before a bad airday is declared by the State. He knows what cleaner airwill mean for his son and all the other kids with asthma. Remember, there are NO coal fired power plants in Maine. The breathe in a lot ofwhat we call "Secondhand Smog" .Let's stand up for Jake. Pam from Philadelphia: lost her son to an asthma attack and knows that polluted air made it tougherfor him to manage his disease. She does notwant others to have to go through the pain of losing a child to asthma. It is notthe total solution, but clean airwill make it a heck ofa lot easierfor children with asthma and their parents manage their disease. Let's stand up for Pam. Formerfootball great lckeyWoods and Chandra Woods lost their son JovanteWoods in August 2010. His fatal asthma attack occurred during atime when air in Cincinnati was particularlydirty. Theywished they knewthen whatthey know now about dirtyairand asthma. Theyare fighting for clean air. Let's stand up fortheWoods Family. There are 6.4 million children with asthma in this country. 2.5 million ofthem live in a county thatfails the American Lung Association State ofthe Air 2012 for ozone. This is unacceptable. We all need cleaner airto breathe. Weare pleased that EPA is moving forward on carbon pollution from power plants. We urge you to finalize this rule before the end ofthe yearand to propose one for existing sources as well. Thank you.