Wind and solar development create manufacturing and technical jobs, rural economic development and pollution-free energy. The Environmental Law & Policy Center’sSolar and Wind Energy Supply Chain report shows that Michigan is home to 241 clean energy technology supply chain businesses and 10,000 related jobs.

Michigan is a solar business leader with companies including Patriot Solar Group (Albion), which manufactures trackers for solar panel installations, and Hemlock Semiconductor(Hemlock), one of the world’s largest manufacturers of polycrystalline silicon for solar cells and modules. Some of Michigan’s old-line manufacturing companies like Dowding Industries – Astraeus Wind Energy (Eaton Rapids) are re-tooling to supply growing markets for clean energy equipment.

Read the editorial 

April 26, 2012

Contact:

David Jakubiak

(312) 795-3713

DJakubiak@elpc.org

ELPC Commends Senate Agriculture Committee Support of Homegrown Energy

WASHINGTON – The Senate Agriculture Committee took an important step to support America’s farmers, renewable homegrown energy, rural development and national security by funding core energy programs through a Farm Bill amendment passed today.

“We commend Chairwoman Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and the bipartisan group of 11 Senators who supported a bipartisan amendment supporting mandatory funding for programs that reduce dependence on polluting fossil fuels and help farmers cut energy costs and produce innovative renewable energy for America,” said Andy Olsen, Senior Policy Advocate with the Environmental Law & Policy Center.

“The state of the economy and our continuing energy challenges underscore the need for programs like the REAP (Rural Energy for America Program) and  BCAP (Biomass Crop Assistance Program) which generate rural development and provide a safety net to farmers,” Olsen said.

“We thank the energy title supporters, Senators Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), Richard Lugar (R-Ind.), Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), and Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) for their support of an Energy Title amendment that provides mandatory funding of these core energy programs,” Olsen added.

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The Environmental Law & Policy Center is the Midwest’s leading environmental legal advocacy and eco-business innovation organization.                    

Some 117 scientists and researchers from 11 universities and colleges in Michigan have penned a letter to the state’s 17-member congressional delegation urging them to prevent proposed legislation that could reverse tough new regulations on mercury emissions and other air toxins adopted last December by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The federal Mercury and Air Toxics Standard will help “protect and clean the air we breathe, assure that local fish are safer to eat, and protect and preserve the wildlife and natural spaces we love from harmful pollution originating in Michigan and elsewhere,” said the April 5 letter signed by the Michigan university professors and researchers. To read, click here.

Read the blog.

“BCAP is an important and unique program that develops new biomass energy crops that can boost farmer income while providing a new energy source for the nation. It has potential across the country,” said Steve Falck, Senior Policy Advocate for the Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC).

The USDA will review the proposals and select producers or biomass facilities for the BCAP Project Areas. The growers will qualify for establishment or annual payments.

BCAP was first created in the 2008 Farm Bill. In FY2011, USDA selected nine project areas, approving more than 860 grower contracts for camelina, hybrid poplar, warm season grasses and giant miscanthus on almost 50,000 acres. The total investment in those projects is estimated to be $55 million.

In November 2011, Congress passed appropriations for 2012 limiting the total amount of BCAP funding to $17 million, reducing the potential number of projects and investments.

The Request for Proposal and additional information can be found at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/bcap.

To apply for a BCAP grant:

1.    Go to www.grants.gov.

2.    On the left side of the page, click on “Apply for Grants.”

3.    Click on “Download a Grant Application Package.”

4.    Type “10.087” in the box with the heading “CFDA Number” and click on “Download Package.”

April 5, 2012

CONTACT: STEPHANIE CEPAK (517) 333-1606

Michigan Scientists Urge Congress to Support Clean Air

117 college scientists, researchers back E.P.A.’s mercury rule

ANN ARBOR – University and college scientists and researchers have signed a letter calling on Michigan’s congressional delegation to support the Mercury and Air Toxics Standard (MATS) recently filed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The scientists and researchers, 117 in total, represent a broad range of academic backgrounds and work at private and public colleges across Michigan.

“Humans and wildlife that eat fish can be exposed to hazardous levels of methyl mercury. Because residents of Michigan and the rest of the country are exposed to this pollutant, there needs to be a federal control on the emissions of mercury,” said Joel Blum, John D MacArthur Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Michigan.

The future of Michigan’s own mercury emissions rule is unclear because a state advisory committee recommended rescinding it once a federal rule is filed. The scientists support the Michigan rule, but know it doesn’t go far enough to protect the health and well-being of residents.

“As part of a team of researchers, I have found mercury remains a major pollutant of concern in the Great Lakes,” said Nil Basu, Assistant Professor in U-M’s Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health. “All of us have detectable levels of mercury in our body.”

Much of the mercury deposited in Michigan comes from coal-fired power plants in other states, which is why a federal standard is even more crucial to protecting the public health of Michigan families. For every

$1 spent on reducing toxic emissions by upgrading power plants, the EPA estimates there is $6 to $9 in economic benefits, mostly related to lowered health care costs.

“State fish advisories like Michigan’s promote a policy that allows significant mercury contamination to remain in place while relying on the vulnerable populations to change their fish-consumption behavior,”

said Jerome Nriagu, Professor in U-M’s Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health. “The regulators are helping to perpetuate an unequal burden of mercury exposure in communities of the Great Lakes.”

Altogether, signers included nearly 60 scientists and researchers from the University of Michigan and more than a dozen from Michigan State University. Signers also included scientists and researchers from Wayne State University, Hope College, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo College, Eastern Michigan University, Calvin College, Michigan Technological University, Grand Valley State University, and Ferris State University.

Blum, Basu and Nriagu participated in a statewide telephone news conference Thursday discussing the letter, along with Howard Learner, Executive Director of the Environmental Law and Policy Center.

The letter was delivered this week to Michigan’s two U.S. Senators and 15 U.S. Representatives. The letter is below.

Our Letter to Michigan’s Congressional Delegation Dear Michigan Senators and Representatives:

As university and college scientists and educators living and working in the great state of Michigan, we commend the standards adopted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency imposing limits on mercury emissions and other hazardous air toxics. The federal Mercury and Air Toxics Standard (MATS) will help protect and clean the air we breathe, assure that local fish are safer to eat, and protect and preserve the wildlife and natural spaces we love from harmful pollution originating in Michigan and elsewhere. Scientific studies clearly demonstrate that mercury and other air toxic emissions are hazardous to human health. We are concerned that some Members of Congress are seeking to overturn, weaken or delay these vitally needed standards.  We urge you to vote against any action diminishing the U.S. EPA’s MATS.

Mercury and other air toxics covered by MATS are potent neurotoxins that impact the health of humans, wildlife and ecosystems (e.g. services, provisioning, etc.). Our children are most vulnerable to these impacts, with fetal exposures to mercury resulting in deleterious impacts to language, memory, visual-motor skills, and attention. In adults, exposure to mercury can damage the nervous system, with newer research showing possible impacts on the immune and cardiovascular systems. Most of mercury’s harms to human health come from consuming contaminated fish. Once deposited on the surface waters of our state, mercury is converted to methylmercury where it is consumed and biomagnified up the food chain.

Ecologically-relevant and sub-lethal concentrations of methylmercury can affect the growth, survival and reproduction of fish, birds, and other animals. Large predatory fish, particularly those found in Michigan’s inland waters such as walleye, northern pike and largemouth bass, are most vulnerable to these effects. Recreational anglers and their families, including tribal groups and others consuming these fish, can accumulate harmful amounts of methylmercury. There is also increasing and compelling evidence that mercury deposition can impact the terrestrial ecosystem, namely songbirds, bats, and other insectivores.

Michiganders have long understood the harms to public health caused by mercury and other air toxics. Reflecting the findings of scientists, the Michigan state government has taken some helpful actions. The Michigan Department of Community Health, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and Michigan Department of Natural Resources have collaborated in issuing statewide fish advisories for every lake in Michigan.

Moreover, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality adopted rules going into effect in 2015 to reduce mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants in our state.  We commend the state’s actions and urge the Michigan Congressional Delegation to understand the need for federal standards to reduce mercury and air toxics pollution from power plants nationwide.

These efforts in our state fall short of addressing sources of mercury and other air toxics from other states that also harm Michigan’s people and animals. Most (greater than 50%) of the mercury deposited in our state comes from coal-fired power plant emissions, with a substantial amount coming from coal-fired power plants in other states. The U.S.

EPA’s MATS provides an important path to protecting the air and water in our state by limiting the emissions from these coal-fired power plants in Michigan and beyond. Also, the federal standards address a wider range of toxic emissions and facilities in Michigan than the state standards. The U.S. EPA estimates that annually MATS will prevent hundreds of deaths in our state and result in over one billion dollars of health benefits to Michiganders.

We, Michigan university and college scientists, urge you to support U.S.

EPA’s Mercury and Air Toxics Standards in the interests of improving public health, protecting wildlife, preserving natural beauty, and supporting the economy of the state we call home.

Sincerely,

 Joel Blum, Professor- UM Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences

Nil Basu, Assistant Professor- UM School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences

Timothy Dvonch,  Assistant Professor- UM School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences

Howard Hu, Professor – UM School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health, Epidemiology and Internal Medicine

Jerome Nriagu, Professor- UM School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences

ELPC’s webinar about Electric Car Trends and Policy Updates highlighted the challenges and opportunities ahead for electric cars to succeed on America’s roads and in America’s factories. ELPC Executive Director Howard Learner, Edmunds.com Senior Green Car Editor John O’Dell, and ELPC Senior Policy Advocate Madeleine Weil presented and responded to questions. A podcast is available here.

Washington, D.C. – President Obama’s proposal to expand the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) beyond its current FY14 time frame was announced today while an invited group of the region’s leaders were in town for a briefing with senior White House officials.

Congress and the president have provided more than $1 billion for the GLRI since it first made history in 2009 as the largest commitment to Great Lakes restoration in a U.S. presidential budget. The sweeping initiative funds are designated to curb the influx of invasive species, clean beaches, remove toxic pollution and restore fish and wildlife habitat.

The announcement was made as some 80 of the Great Lakes region’s environmental, recreation, business and academic leaders met with senior White House officials today to discuss clean water, environmental and economic priorities in the region. Participants were invited to the briefing at the Executive Office Building, co-hosted by the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the Office of Public Engagement, during Great Lakes Day events in Washington this week.

“Millions of people rely on the Great Lakes for fresh drinking water, recreation and economic vitality,” said Howard A. Learner, executive director of the Environmental Law & Policy Center. “By expanding our investment in the Great Lakes, the Obama administration is protecting one of the nation’s — and the world’s — most valuable natural and economic assets.”

“A commitment to extending GLRI funding is critical to protecting our lakes, our national parks and our local economies,” said Lynn McClure, Midwest regional director for the National Parks Conservation Association. “In Michigan, one GLRI project alone has created 125 jobs and produced more than $66 million in economic benefits to the state.”

“This is an investment that will benefit the environment and the economy,” said Andy Buchsbaum, regional executive director for the National Wildlife Federation’s Great Lakes office. “Great Lakes programs are producing results — but there’s more to do. Today’s announcement signals that the Obama Administration is in this fight for the long haul.”

Economic recovery and environmental restoration were significant themes in the day’s discussion, which connected the goals of reducing nutrient pollution, cleaning up beaches and removing invasive species, to more tourism dollars for local communities and small businesses. Among the highlights:

Asian Carp/Chicago Waterway: The groups praise the administration’s effort to build up agency budgets to support short-term Asian carp deterrents, and say they are pleased to learn that U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Assistant Secretary Jo-Ellen Darcy believes it is possible to shorten the timeline for the corps’ Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study (GLMRIS). The congressional-ordered study – requiring the corps to determine options available to stop the transfer of invasive species between the two watersheds — is currently scheduled for completion in 2015. Looking forward, the groups seek a better understanding of how the administration will compress the study timeline and focus the effort on analyzing how to permanently separate the Great Lakes and Mississippi River.

Ballast Water Discharge: The groups credit U.S. EPA for requiring treatment technology on board vessels for the first time, as well as for working to retain ballast water exchange for the Great Lakes. But they note that EPA’s new draft permit has weaknesses — particularly in terms of technology availability determinations and the timeline for implementation — that could compromise this modest progress.

Cleaner beaches: The groups say they are pleased to see a decrease in beach closings in Chicago and elsewhere. They urge the administration to continue supporting such progress in future years as beaches are a primary way people experience the Great Lakes, and serve as an economic engine for dozens of coastal communities.

Nutrient pollution: The groups praise the yeoman’s effort by the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service and EPA to pool their resources and coordinate on the ground in the western Lake Erie basin to address the already-critical algae-bloom threat. The groups say they anticipate the agencies using every tool in the box to drive down phosphorus loads to western Lake Erie and other critical areas around the lakes.

Toxic cleanups: The groups applaud EPA’s tight focus and spending priority on cleaning up and delisting Areas of Concern, going way back to the early 2000s and passage of the Legacy Act. Such contamination holds Great Lakes communities back from revitalization and cleanups should continue as a priority for the administration, the groups say.

Joel Brammeier, president and CEO of the Alliance for the Great Lakes, said that overall, “I was pleased and inspired to see and hear the highest levels of the Obama administration focused on restoring the Great Lakes in Washington this week. A healthy Great Lakes is a resource that everyone in the region can build on as we revitalize both our environment and economy. I look forward to continuing this collaborative work to restore the lakes and prevent threats from undermining our strong record of success.”

The briefing included opening remarks from U.S. Secretary of Commerce John Bryson about business development and jobs in the Great Lakes region, and a panel discussion with USDA Deputy Under Secretary Ann Mills, DOI Deputy Secretary David Hayes, and Cameron Davis, EPA senior advisor to the Administrator for Great Lakes.

“The administration made unprecedented investments in restoring the Great Lakes and made it a priority to work with state, city, environmental, academic and business leaders toward lasting solutions,” said Nancy Sutley, chairwoman of the White House CEQ. “Today’s gathering at the White House is another important step in advancing the partnership between federal agencies and community leaders that has fostered success for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and its goal of a healthy environment and a thriving economy for all Americans.”

The Great Lakes account for more than 20 percent of the world’s surface fresh water, with more than 30 million people living in the Great Lakes Basin.

Contacts:

Alliance for the Great Lakes: Joel Brammeier, President and CEO, 773-590-6494 (cell), jbrammeier@greatlakes.org

Environmental Law & Policy Center: Howard Learner, Executive Director, 312-953-6841 (cell) HLearner@elpc.org; or Jill Geiger, Director of Communications and Marketing, 312-795-3703 (office)

National Parks Conservation Association: Lynn McClure, Midwest Regional Director, 312-343-7216 (cell), lmcclure@npca.org

National Wildlife Federation-Great Lakes office: Andy Buchsbaum, Regional Executive Director, 734-717-3665 (cell), buchsbaum@nwf.org

Register today for this free webinar on Monday, March 5th, at 11 a.m. CST. Edmunds.com Senior Green Car Editor John O’Dell will join ELPC staff to detail current trends in electric car buying and electric car policies. Register today!

ELPC Deputy Director Kevin Brubaker, who leads ELPC's high-speed rail efforts, was aboard the Midwest's first high-speed rail train to leave Union Station.

On Feb. 15, 2012, high-speed rail travel arrived in the Midwest. The first high-speed train outside the Northeast United States departed Chicago’s Union Station at 7 a.m., traveling through Indiana and southwest Michigan to its destination in Kalamazoo, Mich. The 138-mile journey, which included a stop in New Buffalo, Mich., was completed in 2 hours, 8 minutes.

Kalamazoo is the highway point on the Chicago-Detroit passenger rail corridor. Eventually, officials say that 5.5-hour trip will be trimmed to 3.75 hours.Other high-speed rail corridors in the Midwest will include routes from Chicago to St. Louis and the Twin Cities.

Read more from CBS 2 Chicago and MLive.com.

“We commend the experts and Senators who took a stand for homegrown clean energy today,” says Andy Olsen, Senior Policy Advocate at the Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC), a long-time champion of the Farm Bill’s clean energy programs. “Through these programs, America has made unprecedented gains in rural renewable energy and energy efficiency. Congress and the White House should continue this forward momentum.”

Steve Flick, one of the nation’s farm energy entrepreneurs, called for Congressional action to renew and fully fund core Farm Bill clean energy programs, such as the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) and the Biorefinery Assistance Program. “America’s farmers, ranchers and rural residents can have a bright future ahead of them with the right incentives,” Flick says. “Renewable energy is the future of rural America.”

Bennie Hutchins of Mississippi provided numerous examples of how REAP has helped agricultural producers and rural small businesses save money and produce income across the South. He shared ELPC analysis showing that REAP produces jobs at a greater than average rate.

“Farm Bill clean energy programs have been an unprecedented success. They have helped farmers reduce their energy bills and energy waste through energy efficiency and accelerated the introduction of modern clean energy technologies into the marketplace,” Olsen says. “Congress and the White House should continue this momentum by renewing and fully funding core Farm Bill clean energy programs.”