Thursday, January 28, 2010
The Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC) today commended the Obama Administration for the diverse selection of high speed-rail projects and national approach to awarding $8 billion in stimulus funding.
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
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Tuesday, January 26, 2010
1,198 state legislators from 49 states and both sides of the aisle are calling on Congress to pass clean energy jobs and climate legislation. In a letter to Congress, the elected officials point out that similar state legislation has been proven to create jobs and economic development while protecting public health and the environment.
The letter also points out that:
- Our nation is spending $1 billion a day on energy from foreign countries, threatening our national security and our economy.
- Other nation’s are moving faster than the U.S. to profit from the clean energy economy.
- The clean energy and climate challenge is America’s new space race –and meeting that challenge can place our country at the forefront of innovation and prosperity.
Read the letter here
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
ELPC joined Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and Northwestern University’s Transportation Center to host “Beyond Transportation” a summit on rail policy and economic development in Illinois.
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.
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Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Scientists from Michigan, Wisconsin and North Dakota have come together to emphasize the scientific consensus behind global warming and to urge Congress to pass strong legislation that will reduce global warming pollution and avoid the worst consequences of climate change. Read the scientists’ letters to Congress.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Indiana State Senator Sue Errington has authored a bill that would require Indiana utilities to increase the amount of renewable electricity they use. Indiana’s neighboring states, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri and Iowa have all passed similar legislation, known as a renewable portfolio standard (RPS).
By creating a guaranteed market for renewable energy, RPS legislation has attracted large amounts of private investment in these states and created manufacturing, installation and maintenance jobs to supply the renewable energy industry.
ELPC Executive Director Howard Learner said that Indiana needs a renewable portfolio standard to take advantage of its wind power potential. As Learner said, “There is widespread agreement that if we want to have extensive wind power development across the Midwest, in order to seize job creation, economic development and environmental value, we need to have a smart shift in policy to help grow the green economy.”
Read coverage in the Muncie Star Press
Monday, January 11, 2010
Crain’s Chicago Business examines the prospects for offshore wind power in Lake Michigan. ELPC Executive Director Howard Learner says that wind farms near Chicago would trigger public opposition. ”There’s a reason lakefront property is so valuable in Chicago,” said Learner.
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.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Governor Pat Quinn named Alderman Manuel Flores the new chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission, the body that regulates utilities in Ilinois. Mr. Flores is a smart choice for promoting green jobs in the state according to ELPC Executive Director Howard Learner.
As Mr. Learner told Crain’s Chicago Business, “We haven’t had a chair for awhile that’s really been a Chicagoan. Manny Flores is an alderman from the city of Chicago who thinks about stuff like, ‘What’s the impact of something on my neighborhood?’ The ICC makes fundamental decisions that affect people’s pocketbooks and daily lives.”
Read the full article here.
Monday, December 21, 2009
On December 17, ELPC, the Hoosier Environmental Council and the Sierra Club submitted a petition asking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to correct serious flaws in the Indiana water pollution control program, which is administered by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM).
The groups have worked with IDEM for years in an attempt to improve Indiana’s water pollution rules, but the regulations still do not meet standards of the federal Clean Water Act. Large coal mines are currently allowed to pollute many of Indiana’s lakes and streams while pollution from industry and agriculture has contaminated over 800 Indiana Waterways with e coli bacteria.
The petition asks EPA to take back the authority for enforcing the Clean Water Act if IDEM does not improve its water pollution control program.
Read ELPC’s press release.
Read coverage in the Indy Star.
Read the editorial “In Defense of Clean Water” by the Indy Star’s editorial board.
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Thursday, December 17, 2009
As many states are already learning, wind energy development presents a tremendous opportunity for economic growth. Environmental Law and Policy Center Senior Attorney John Moore says that’s especially true for the Midwest. According to Moore, several government policies have helped spur the development of wind power in rural America. Listen to the interview here.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ELPC APPLAUDS $2.5 BILLION HIGH-SPEED RAIL APPROPRIATION
CHICAGO, December 15, 2009 — The Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC) today issued a statement applauding Sunday’s final passage of Fiscal Year 2010 Consolidated Appropriations Conference Report, the transportation appropriation containing $2.5 billion for high-speed passenger rail.
Howard Learner, executive director of ELPC, and the organization have studied high speed rail for 15 years. Mr. Learner is nationally recognized for thought leadership on the environmental and societal benefits of fast train transportation and its ability to promote economic development.
“Investment in high-speed rail will create good jobs and revitalize American rail manufacturing, helping the nation move from recovery to prosperity,” Learner said. “High-speed rail is the most practical, environmentally responsible and energy efficient way to transport people safely and comfortably over moderate distances.
“We strongly urge Congress to enable the regions of our nation to unleash their economic power by funding high-speed rail, which will put people back to work and help ensure the future health of our planet.”
The $1.1 trillion dollar spending bill was sent to the President’s desk Sunday. The high-speed rail allocation is in addition to the $8 billion for high-speed rail included by President Obama in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Administration’s total commitment to high-speed rail currently stands at $10.5 billion, with an additional $1 billion per year pledged to be included in the budget for the next 4 years.
The House transportation committee has also recommended including $50 billion for high-speed rail development in the upcoming transportation reauthorization.
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