DES MOINES, Iowa - This week Iowans attended citizen field hearings in Storm Lake and Des Moines to speak out in support of the newly announced Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposal to limit carbon pollution from power plants, a major driver of climate change.
The citizen field hearings were held on Monday, July 14th (Storm Lake) and Tuesday, July 15th (Des Moines) and are sponsored by Iowa Interfaith Power & Light. The EPA has allowed for a 120-day public comment period on the proposed new carbon standards. The field hearings will be transcribed and comments from the hearings will be sent directly to the EPA.
"I have firsthand experience of seeing the impacts of climate change on our environment," said Rob Hack of Alta, Iowa who attended the hearing in Storm Lake. "We're doing the same thing over and over again and we believe that the President's EPA initiatives are going to hopefully make some changes." Hack continued, "There are significant experiences we have been enduring in Iowa. There is reality to climate change. I'm not going to debate how much carbon is in the atmosphere, you know I'm not an atmospheric researcher, but there does need to be something different. As Albert Einstein said, if we continue to do the same thing over and over again expecting something different, that is insane."
The following day in Des Moines, each citizen who spoke at the public hearing strongly supported the new EPA carbon pollution limits.
"My main message is to say I support the EPA carbon pollution standards for power plants," said Margaret Vernon, an Indianola resident who attended the hearing. "I believe what the EPA is doing is a good step in the right direction."
According to Bill Cox, "As a parent I am acutely aware of how air pollution can compromise health, especially those with lung disease who are the most vulnerable. We had a beloved daughter Kelly who had cystic fibrosis with an asthma complication. She was a vibrant, active kid who participated in soccer and dance. She was one year from completing her bachelor's degree in nursing when she passed away in 1998. ... The fossil fuels industry frequently uses a scare tactic that higher environmental standards will lead to higher energy price. Our Kelly paid the ultimate price. ... I strongly support the EPA standards."
Susan Guy, the Executive Director of Iowa Interfaith Power & Light was encouraged by the strong support for the new climate proposal. "It was nice to see Iowans from all walks of life, farmers, small business owners and parents, attend the hearings to speak out in support of the new EPA carbon standards," said Guy. "We are extremely proud of the fact that Iowa's citizens, businesses and utility companies have invested heavily in conservation and in renewable energy, and are well-prepared to meet the new carbon limits proposed by the EPA."
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