Thursday, July 1, 2010
ELPC Deputy Director Kevin Brubaker responded to a recent article in the Chicago Tribune that raised concerns about safeguarding pedestrian safety as high-speed rail expands in Illinois. Improved signaling and safety measures are an important part of investments to bring high-speed rail to the US. Recent increases in funding for high-speed rail create an opportunity to improve safety while creating more sustainable transportation options.
Read the letter here
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Cleaner Cars, Less Reliance on Oil, Better Mileage, More Jobs, Less Pollution and More Savings at the Pump
The BP oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico has awakened many Americans to the dangers of our addiction to oil. The latest polls show that most Americans want to find cleaner and safer ways to power their cars and heat their homes. The good news is that a shift to more fuel efficient cars and trucks will both improve the environment and boost our economy.
Under the new federal greenhouse gas reduction and fuel economy standards that were finalized in Spring, the average fuel economy for passenger cars will increase from 27.5 mpg in 2009 to 37.8 mpg by 2016 – an improvement of almost 40 percent. Building cleaner cars will reduce lifetime greenhouse gas pollution from vehicles produced between 2012 and 2016 by more than 655 million tons. That’s a big step forward.
The shift toward cleaner cars provides an opportunity for new manufacturing centers and product lines in Indiana, as automakers develop more efficient technologies and better pollution controls. In Elkhart, for example, former RV builders will now be manufacturing electric vehicles for Think motors. Think is planning to produce about 20,000 vehicles annually in Elkhart by 2013. Likewise, just outside of Indianapolis, EnerDel will soon employ up to 1,400 people manufacturing batteries for electric vehicle.
Indiana’s pool of highly trained autoworkers will be building the cars – and the economy – of the future. These good manufacturing jobs are “green jobs” for our future.
The new federal technology-forcing and innovation-encouraging standards for the cars of the future are expected to save as much as 11.6 billion gallons of gasoline per year by 2016. That’s equivalent to half the oil that the U.S. imports from Saudi Arabia each year. That reduction in gasoline purchases will save consumers around $35 billion annually at the pump if gas costs $3 per gallon.
The transition to cleaner cars should be accompanied by deploying modern technologies to clean up and diversify our electricity generating sources. Driving an electric car doesn’t help clean up the environment as much if it’s charged by electricity generated by older, highly-polluting coal plants. We can and should use clean power to charge plug-in hybrids and other electric vehicles. Let’s build charging stations powered mostly by wind and solar energy
Solar energy is most available on the hot, sunny afternoons when power market prices are highest and the power is needed most. If electric vehicle charging stations are powered by solar, the pollution equation works well. Let’s try to locate charging stations in places where there is good solar access. The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission and the Legislature should also adopt robust “net metering” rates and standards for the charging stations to sell valuable solar-generated power back into the grid when it is not fully used for charging cars.
Indiana can and should be a leader in gaining the jobs of the future from building new, cleaner cars that increase our energy independence, reduce pollution and save us money at the pump. Getting cleaner, more efficient cars on the roads is a key step forward for reducing our oil dependence. As the BP oil spill disaster unfortunately reminds us daily, business as usual is not the right path for our economy and environment. Let’s be smarter and do better.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
On June 21st and 22nd, ELPC held briefings in Washington, D.C. to educate House and Senate staff on the environmental and energy benefits of sustainably-grown “energy crops.” ELPC, in partnership with National Farmers Union (NFU) and the 25x’25 Alliance, convened the briefings, which featured speakers from ELPC, National Wildlife Federation, the University of Illinois, and industry organizations. Moderated by ELPC Staff Attorney and Policy Advocate Karen Bridges, the briefings focused on the federal Farm Bill’s Biomass Crop Assistance Program, or “BCAP.”
Sustainable biomass and biofuel crops could become an important clean energy resource, but farmers want to be sure there’s a market for these crops before they plant them, and power producers want to be sure there’s a supply of these crops before they buy them. BCAP was intended to help break this “chicken and egg” dilemma by offsetting a portion of the costs of growing and harvesting new energy crops and other biomass feedstocks. Congress passed BCAP in the 2008 Farm Bill, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is just starting to fully implement it.
With this briefing and related activities, ELPC is seeking to persuade USDA to hard-wire strong environmental protections in the BCAP rules and prioritize the right energy crops for development. If grown and harvested correctly, BCAP can boost on-farm income, help rural communities, and improve environmental quality.
Click here to view presentations on BCAP from National Wildlife Federation, Anna Rath, Show Me Energy Cooperative and University of Illinois.
For more information on BCAP and other Farm Bill Energy Title programs, please visit FarmEnergy.org.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
The work to promote clean energy and reduce global warming pollution has been based on the research of climate scientists, the vast majority of whom have found for decades that human activity is causing global warming. But there are climate scientists who disagree, and some skeptics have called into question whether this scientific consensus actually exists.
A new study from researchers at Stanford University compiles a database of scientists actively working on climate change and identifies their positions on human caused global warming. The study found that over 97% of the top experts on climate science believe that global warming is happening and human activity is the cause, while many of those identified as climate skeptics are not actively publishing in the field.
Read coverage in the New York Times here.
Read the study here.
Friday, June 18, 2010
A recent article in Crain’s Chicago Business says we need to learn the troubling consequences of oil dependency from the BP disaster if we want to avoid another like it later on.
According to the article: “Mr. Obama has taken some steps, notably using his executive authority to ramp up mileage standards for vehicles. His stimulus plan included some funds for sensible things like new transmission lines so electricity produced by wind in, say, North Dakota is readily available in Chicago.
But he could have done more. And the fact that he hasn’t is our fault as much as his because, at heart, we want our gas cheap and will swat down any pol who dares raise the price or impose a higher cost for using another source.”
ELPC’s President and Executive Director Howard Learner echoed this sentiment: “The public is starting to realize some of the real tradeoffs (for today’s oil policy), be it in the Gulf or overseas.”
Read the full article here.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
A recent story by ABC News paints a troubling picture: the United States is falling behind other countries–particularly China–when it comes to the expansion and implementation of solar technologies.
A growing solar technology start-up based in Red Bank, N.J., holds the license to technology that makes solar panels cheaper, more efficient and less toxic to the environment. When the company tried to commercialize the technology domestically, they found themselves caught in red tape stalled talks with state and federal officials–on the other hand, conversations with Chinese officials sped ahead.
“The Chinese have a major, aggressive movement to increase the technology in the photovoltaic area,” the company’s president said. “They picked up the phone and called us and said, ‘What do you do?’”
Since 2005, investments in the clean energy sector have grown 230 percent, according to the Pew Environment Group Climate and Energy Program. In 2009, $162 billion was invested in clean energy globally and analysts forecast that investments will climb 25 percent to $200 billion in 2010.
But despite the opportunities in the fast-growing industry, experts say the United States continues to lag behind countries such as China, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Germany and Spain.
“The U.S. is missing the boat,” said Phyllis Cuttino, director of the Pew Environment Group Climate and Energy Program in Washington. In 2009, she said, China attracted $34.6 billion in clean energy investments, more than any other country. The United States attracted $18.6 billion, about half of China’s total, she said.
ELPC’s President and Executive Director Howard Learner agrees. “The clean technology sector is the fastest growing business sector in the global economy and the U.S. cannot afford to lose our competitive edge with China and other countries when it comes to the fastest growing sector in the global economy,” he said.
“Clean energy and climate legislation before Congress would put us on the right track, but it’s been mired in both Republican political opposition and opposition from old economy industries,” he said.
While 30 states have renewable energy standards requiring utilities to purchase an increased percentage of power from renewable sources, Learner, like Pew’s Cuttino, said a national standard is critical.
Read the full report here.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Earlier this year, the State of Illinois received $1.1 billion for passenger rail, and Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis has high hopes that some of the funds will link Peoria to neighboring cities.
Ardis recently met with Illinois Secretary of Transportation Gary Hannig for an update on transportation issues that included rail plans for the Peoria area.
With a long-delayed state feasibility study on the possibility of train service between Peoria and Chicago still forthcoming, Ardis thinks the focus should be on a neighboring community. “To me, it makes sense to get us to Bloomington-Normal,” he said.
“The devil now is in the details,” said Kevin Brubaker, deputy director of the Environmental Law & Policy Center in Chicago, of negotiations now going on between state, federal and railroad officials on the allocation of the federal stimulus money that Illinois received.
“We’re hopeful we’ll see construction start later this year,” he said, indicating that the track upgrade represents a two to three-year project.
“The federal strategy when it comes to rail service is to try a bunch of things and see what works,” Brubaker said.
Read the full article here.
Monday, June 14, 2010
A study released by the U.S. Conference of Mayors outlines the economic impact of high-speed rail development on metropolitan areas across the US. The report examined job creation, the effects of improved market access, greater connectivity, travel time savings, as well as increased income and business sales and finds that Chicago stands to gain up to 42,000 new jobs and 6.1 billion in new business from the Midwest High-Speed Rail Network.
“This report emphasizes the opportunity here for Midwest high-speed rail will grow our economy while improving our environment. High-speed rail means good business for Chicago, improved mobility, reduced pollution and job creation,” said Howard Learner, Executive Director of the Environmental Law & Policy Center.
The report estimates that a Midwest high-speed rail network linking Minneapolis – Madison – Milwaukee, St. Louis, Detroit and other areas will being 3 million new visitors to downtown Chicago each year and will spur new commercial development around Union Station and other areas downtown.
The Environmental Law & Policy Center has worked for over a decade to build support for the Midwest High-Speed Rail Network. Progress toward Midwest high–speed took a major step forward when the Federal Railroad Administration awarded $2.6 billion to jumpstart construction of leading high-speed rail projects in the Midwest.
Click here for more information on ELPC’s high-speed rail program
Download the U.S. Conference of Mayors report here
Thursday, June 10, 2010
The U.S. Senate voted on June 10 on Senator Lisa Murkowski’s Resolution of Disapproval that would have stripped the EPA of its authority to regulate global warming pollution. The resolution was defeated by a vote of 47 to 53.
“The Senate’s defeat of the Murkowski Resolution helps protect our environment, public health and the integrity of the scientific fact-finding process toward global warming solutions,” said Howard Learner, Executive Director of the Environmental Law & Policy Center. “It’s time to move forward with the clean energy economy future, not backward. We commend the Senate for siding with the majority of Americans, scientists and the Supreme Court.”
“Our Senators have shown that special interests can’t change the facts. S.J. Res 26, the Murkowski Resolution of Disapproval, would have been a giveaway to oil companies, resulted in more pollution and exacerbated our nation’s dependence on oil. We should be looking for new ways to develop more clean, American energy sources, not subsidizing the polluting energy sources of the past.”
“Today, the Senate defeated a bad bill. This vote should continue a pivot toward our clean energy economy future.”
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Businesses in Columbus would benefit from the broader customer base and new transportation options that passenger rail would create. Ohio’s 3-C rail plan to link Cleveland, Dayton, Columbus and Cincinnati was awarded a $400 million grant as part of the federal economic stimulus. Though some Ohio legislators question the plan, the business people interviewed in this radio story say that downtown Columbus needs more transportation options. Ohio still needs to approve the funding by a vote that will come later this year.
Listen to the story here
