A $100 million TIGER grant will go toward untangling freight rail lines in the Chicago area. This grant will make freight rail more efficient nationwide while also making passenger rail through Chicago faster and more reliable.  The Chicago Regional Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) project, is a public–private partnership involving 14 rail companies and other agencies. Its goal is to reduce freight rail traffic congestion in Chicago, the hub of the nation’s railways.

“This grant is a double play that can both alleviate freight congestion and speed up passenger rail,” said Howard Learner, Executive Director of the Environmental Law & Policy Center.

Read ELPC’s press release

More importantly, they are the first installment in a major effort to transform and revitalize our nation’s transportation infrastructure.

High-speed rail will create a modern, fast, comfortable and convenient travel option that reduces pollution, counteracts sprawl and brings people into the hearts of America’s cities. As ELPC Executive Director Howard Learner told the Christian Science Monitor “It’s a very important beginning…a giant step forward in the transformation of our nation’s transportation system.”

ELPC has worked to promote high speed rail since the organization began 15 years ago. Howard Learner joined Senator Dick Durbin, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and Federal Railroad Administrator Joe Szabo and Chicago Mayor Richard Daley at a press conference celebrating Illinois’ rail funding. You can listen to the press conference at Chicago Public Radio’s website.

Read ELPC’s statement about funding for high-speed rail

Read Coverage in the Kansas City Star and Crain’s Cleveland

The 13 projects chosen represent critical first steps toward building a modern, national, passenger rail infrastructure and are the first significant passenger rail investments in nearly a century. These projects encompass 31 states. They enhance connectivity through a variety of technologies in the most environmentally responsible mode of regional transportation, noted Howard Learner, ELPC president.

“This is the beginning of transformative improvement to our nation’s transportation system, giving people a modern, fast, comfortable and convenient travel option,” stated Learner. This funding will put people to work while it improves our environment, strengthens key regions of our nation and enhances our ability to compete in the global economy.“

ELPC will host a National Press Club press briefing Monday, February 1, in Washington, D.C. to review the expected impact of the high speed rail investments. Panelists include Arthur Guzzetti, American Public Transportation Association, John Risch, United Transportation Union, and Thomas Simpson, Railway Supply Institute. The panel will be moderated by Howard Learner.

Currently, the Obama Administration’s total commitment to high-speed rail stands at $10.5 billion, with an additional $1 billion per year pledged to be included in the budget for the next five years. The House transportation committee has also recommended including $50 billion for high-speed rail development in the upcoming transportation reauthorization.

“Today’s awards are only the first step in a long-term process. Significant additional federal funding will be required if we are to truly realize the benefits of modern rail and compete in the global market,” Learner concluded.

To learn more about the Environmental Law & Policy Center’s high-speed rail advocacy, visit elpc.org/highspeedrail

The January 15 event focused on how investments in rail transportation will help create jobs and economic development. Senator Dick Durbin, Governor Pat Quinn, Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo and other civic and industry leaders attended the event.

The summit convened discussions on how rail policy benefits local development, sustainability, manufacturing and connectivity in the global economy. The conversation covered the obvious benefits to Chicago and the other hubs of high-speed rail development, as well as the boost that improved rail service will bring to smaller cities that serve as stops on high-speed rail corridors.  

“High-speed rail is an incredible boost in mobility that is not just for Chicago,” said ELPC Executive Director Howard Learner.

“It’s for the huge numbers of people — 2 million people within a 50-mile radius of Kalamazoo, 700,000 people in 15 counties within a 50-mile radius of Springfield, 1 million people within a 50-mile radius of Bloomington-Normal. This is beyond transportation. This is about communities,” he said.

Read coverage in The Chicago Tribune and The Daily Herald.

Offshore wind farms in the Great Lakes are less likely to be built because the Midwest has excellent sites for wind power available on land, where wind power development is much cheaper than offshore. Read the article in Crain’s Chicago Business.

“We now call for the EPA to implement strong and fair standards that will reduce global warming pollution if Congress does not step up with legislation.  Implementing effective global warming solutions, such as energy efficiency and renewable energy development and high-speed rail development can create job growth, spur economic development, and help to solve our global warming problems.”

- Statement from Howard Learner, Executive Director, Environmental Law & Policy Center

ELPC hosted a special webinar on November 18th highlighting the potential for a solar power boom in the Midwest. Featured speakers included ELPC Executive Director Howard Learner, Staff Attorney Brad Klein and Policy Advocate Madeleine Weil. Listen to the webinar or download PDF slides.

ELPC is teaming up with the Illinois Student Environmental Coalition to help mobilize student environmental groups from college campuses across the state. Each group has committed to collecting signatures from 5% of their student body in support of strong federal climate legislation.

This will result in thousands of youth voices calling on U.S. leaders to pass comprehensive climate change legislation and commit our nation to a true position of leadership in the fight against global warming.

Add your voice – call for America to take action on climate change today!

The Award recognizes ELPC’s work to promote smart growth and energy efficiency, in particular our years of leadership and advocacy to establish Energy Efficient Building Codes for residential and commercial buildings in Illinois.

 A U.S. Department of Energy study estimated that Illinois’ Residential Energy Efficient Building Code will result in at least 15% savings annually on utility bills and will average homeowner more than $240 per year.