Tuesday, November 15, 2011
ELPC Executive Director Howard Learner discussed high-speed rail with a high profile panel on November 14th. The panel followed a presentation by US Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood who declared, “We’re on our way. There’s no stopping it. High-speed rail is coming to America.”
The William O. Lipinski Symposium brought together national and regional policy leaders and technical experts to debate high-speed rail. Advocates talked about the environmental, economic development, job creation and mobility benefits that high-speed rail would bring, as well as the need for the US to catch up to Europe and Asia. Skeptics discussed financial concerns and pointed to alternatives like buses, planes and cars.
Learner was joined by panelists:
- Samuel K. Skinner, Of Counsel, Greenberg Traurig, LLP, former chief of staff for President George H.W. Bush and former US Secretary of Transportation;
- James Oberstar (D-MN), Former U.S. Representative and former Chairman of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure;
- William Shuster (R-PA), U.S Representative;
- Joe Szabo, Director, Federal Railroad Administration; and
- Robert Poole, Director of Transportation Policy, Searle Freedom Trust Transportation Fellow, Reason Foundation.
The lively discussion was shared via live webcast. The full program and other information are available at http://www.iti.northwestern.edu/lipinski/program.html.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Senators Sherrod Brown (OH), Dick Durbin (IL), Al Franken (MN), Tim Johnson (SD), Mark Kirk (IL), Amy Klobuchar (MN), Herb Kohl (WI), Carl Levin (MI) and Debbie Stabenow (MI) stood up for clean air protections today and voted against an extraordinary resolution that would have blocked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from advancing standards to modernize coal plants and reduce dangerous pollution that drifts across state lines.
Midwest Democratic and Republican Senators were joined by a bipartisan majority of their colleagues in the vote to reject Senator Rand Paul’s S.J. Res. 27 by a vote of 56 to 41.
“We commend the Senators who voted today to protect public health, clean air and the Great Lakes from harmful pollution,” said Howard Learner, Executive Director of the Environmental Law & Policy Center. “It’s time for the owners of old, highly-polluting coal plants to invest in modern pollution control equipment. They should move to a level playing field with the companies that have already cleaned up their plants.”
The Cross State Air Pollution Standard will prevent up to 34,000 premature deaths, 400,000 asthma attacks, 15,000 heart attacks, and 19,000 hospital visits each year starting in 2014.
“Senators Brown, Durbin, Franken, Johnson , Kirk, Kohl, Levin and Stabenow recognized their constituents’ support for common-sense standards that will protect public health,” said Learner.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
The Indianapolis Star reported on one of the lead stories on ELPC’s new project, IN Our Water, with their coverage of phosphorus pollution and algae blooms in the Geist Reservoir. The Geist Reservoir provides drinking water to Indianapolis and is a popular place for boating and recreation, but the reservoir is fouled each summer with algae blooms and toxic bacteria created by excessive phosphorus pollution.
Read ELPC’s story on the Geist Reservoir here
Read coverage in the Indy Star here
Take Action: Help Protect Indiana Waterways from Dangerous Algae Blooms
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
ELPC has launched a new project to tell the stories of polluted rivers and lakes in Indiana. Indiana’s weak state policies and lax enforcement have allowed the state’s rivers and lakes to become fouled by algae blooms, toxins, sedimentation and dangerous pathogens. Indiana is also home to pristine rivers and streams that attract visitors from across the region. ELPC worked with residents and water experts across the state to tell the changing story of rivers and lakes and their impact on people’s quality of life in Indiana.
“Clean rivers and safe water are fundamental to our quality of life,” said ELPC Executive Director Howard Learner. “Each time we turn on the tap, build a new home, swim, fish or canoe, clean water affects our lives.”
ELPC illustrates Indiana’s water pollution problems through the stories of Indiana natives like Scott Rodgers, a homeowner on the Geist Reservoir who’s working to prevent the dangerous algae blooms that threaten the reservoir where he boats, and Marjorie Vance, who is trying to prevent a factory farm from being built near her home. These stories, photos and videos are all available on the project website www.INourwater.org
The website gives the public the tools to tell their own stories about water pollution and take action to clean up waterways across the state.
ELPC is working to increase awareness of the pollution issues facing the state and engage the public in calling for solutions like statewide pollution limits for phosphorus and better water quality standards for factory farms.
Indiana’s Polluted Rivers and Lakes
· Geist Reservoir, Indianapolis
The reservoir that provides drinking water to Indianapolis residents also suffers from high levels of toxic cyanobacteria and huge, unsightly algae blooms. Phosphorus pollution from fertilizer, wastewater treatment, agriculture and other sources causes the algae blooms that plague many of Indiana’s waters. Scott Rodgers lives on the Geist Reservoir and is working with other homeowners, government officials and advocates to protect the water in his backyard.
· Turtle Creek Reservoir, Merom
Turtle Creek Reservoir is actually the cooling pond for Hoosier Energy’s Merom coal plant near the Wabash River. Turtle Creek was a popular spot for bass fishing in the 1990’s, but in recent years the population of bass and other game fish has plummeted. Turtle Creek receives runoff from a nearby coal ash landfill and wastewater from the coal plant’s cooling system. Coal ash and coal plant wastewater have created unsafe conditions in other Indiana waters.
· Rivers and Lakes in Kosciusko County
Manure from the 77 large livestock operations in Kosciusko County has damaged the area’s lakes and streams, including the Lake Wawasee, Lake Tippecanoe, Eel River and Yellow Creek. Before more factory farms are built in the area, residents like Marjorie Vance and Janet Ecklebarger think the state needs better safeguards to protect their lakes, streams and drinking water.
· Young’s Creek Watershed, Johnson County
Streams in Johnson County are stripped of trees and plants and dredged into ditches. This “ditching” is practiced throughout Indiana as a means to drain farm fields. But inappropriate ditching destroys natural habitat and increase sedimentation, erosion and chemical runoff downstream. Gary Moody is advocating for more public input and less destructive ditching practices.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Saugatuck residents, conservation, historical and civic organizations are declaring victory after Chief Judge Paul Maloney of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan declared illegal a proposed consent decree between developer Aubrey McClendon’s Singapore Dunes L.L.C. and the Saugatuck Township Board that would have allowed the developer to build a hotel, marina and condominiums on duneland on the shore of Lake Michigan.
The development is contrary to Saugatuck Township’s current zoning laws. McClendon sued Saugatuck Township over the zoning laws in federal court. On November 1st, the Court ruled that the proposed consent decree violated state law because it would have prevented the Township Board from ever modifying the zoning of McClendon’s property and created a remedy that exceeded the procedural harms alleged by the developer.
The Court’s decision holds that the proposed consent decree is illegal and “impermissibly ties the hands of future township boards.” The Township and McClendon can renegotiate, but any new settlement cannot sign away the ability of future Township Boards to zone and protect land within the community.
“Judge Maloney’s decision helps restore faith in the fairness of ‘the system’,” said Marcia Perry, Vice President of the Saugatuck Dunes Coastal Alliance (SDCA). “The hundreds of people who protested this unfair proposed consent agreement are justified by the Judge’s ruling.”
“This is a huge victory for the Saugatuck people and businesses who care about protecting our ‘pure Michigan’ landscape,” said SDCA President David Swan. “The Court’s decision affirms that the rule of law can trump the influence of a billionaire’s money and political clout.”
“As a resident of Saugatuck Township for over 35 years, I’m pleased to see that the Court has upheld our Township’s authority to make land use decisions,” said Sandra Randolph, Saugatuck Township resident and business owner. “I hope this will lead to a fair process that will better serve our community going forward.”
“The National Trust for Historic Preservation is delighted that Judge Maloney’s action has given the community another chance to protect the historic character and pristine natural beauty of the Saugatuck Dunes coastal area,” said Stephanie Meeks, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “We also applaud the Court’s decision to require a public hearing prior to its review of any future consent decree incorporating development proposals for this fragile area. We continue to believe that over-scaled development would inflict irreparable harm on the Saugatuck Dunes coastal area and we will continue to work to encourage local community officials and the developer to find a solution that protects this unique and historic place.”
“The Court decided that the local government’s and Saugatuck communities’ authority to make land use and planning decisions can’t be bartered away,” said Howard Learner, Executive Director of the Environmental Law & Policy Center and lead counsel for the Saugatuck Dunes Coastal Alliance. “This is an important legal precedent for smart land use in the Saugatuck communities and across Western Michigan.”
—
Read more in the Holland Sentinel.
Read more on ELPC’s Saugatuck Dunes page.
Friday, October 28, 2011
On Tuesday, Oct. 18th, the McHenry County (Ill.) Board adopted the McHenry County Water Resources Action Plan (WRAP) that is designed to protect and preserve the area’s limited groundwater supply through conservation and efficiency. According to ELPC Staff Attorney Jessica Dexter, who has been working on water supply policy issues in the county for several years, “This action is a first step toward adopting policies necessary to protect water supply for McHenry County. Now, several county agencies have direction on how to properly consider water supply issues. The next step will be adopting strong measures to protect water supply in the county’s Unified Development Ordinance and in local municipalities.”
ELPC recently published a series of reports on “Land Use Tools to Protect Groundwater.” Click here to download the reports and learn more about ELPC’s water conservation efforts.
Friday, October 28, 2011
The Oct. 27th editorial in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says Wisconsin must grow cleaner energy jobs. Check it out.
Monday, October 24, 2011
The Environmental Law and Policy Center’s new study of Wisconsin’s solar and wind energy supply chain finds that 171 Wisconsin companies are part of the wind energy supply chain and 135 Wisconsin companies are part of the solar energy supply chain.
The solar and wind industries provide over 12,000 jobs in Wisconsin. This job growth has been supported for years by utility incentives and state policies like Wisconsin’s Renewable Portfolio Standard and Focus on Energy Program. However, Wisconsin’s recent political and policy shifts have undermined clean energy development and job creation.
“Wind and solar energy development have created new jobs and business growth that Wisconsin needs,” said ELPC Executive Director Howard Learner. “With over 250 local companies ready to grow, Wisconsin’s leaders should be looking for ways to advance public policies that encourage renewable energy development and progress in the state.”
ELPC surveyed businesses statewide to identify Wisconsin companies that are actively participating in the renewable energy supply chain. The list includes steelmakers, electrical component manufacturers, engineering firms and other longstanding businesses that are profiting from renewable energy development, as well as start-ups and small businesses developing cutting edge clean energy technology. For example:
Caleffi sells solar thermal systems and components from its Milwaukee office. “Solar is a real job creator in Wisconsin and across the United States and one of the biggest generators of growth for Caleffi,” said Rex Gillespie Caleffi’s Director of Marketing.
Oshkosh-based wind manufacturing company Renewegy builds and installs light commercial wind turbines. The company plans to add 50 new employees in the coming years. “Not only do we manufacture and employ workers here in Oshkosh, but 90 percent of our components are sourced from Midwestern partners,” said Dana Enz, Renewegy’s VP of Sales. “As we grow, they grow.”
Smart state and local policies can make a big difference in creating economic development and new jobs for the solar and wind sector. Helios recently opened Wisconsin’s first solar panel manufacturing plant in Milwaukee. Low-interest loans provided by the state and the City of Milwaukee convinced Helios to locate in Wisconsin. “The Midwest is getting close to becoming a real solar hotspot,” said Helios’ General Manager Brent Brucker. “A little more foresight on the part of a state legislatures and this region could really take off.”
As part of its effort to promote economic growth and environmental progress through clean energy development, ELPC has also completed wind and solar supply chain studies for Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Ohio. Across these five states, ELPC has identified more than 1,000 clean energy businesses employing over 50,000 people.
To download a copy of the report visit www.elpc.org/WisconsinEnergy
1 Comment »
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
New poll results show that in voters in every part of Chicago support efforts by the City to reduce pollution from the Fisk and Crawford coal plants. 72% of Chicago voters said they would support a plan that reduces soot pollution from the coal plants by 90% and carbon dioxide pollution by 50%. Even after hearing arguments in opposition to, and in favor of stricter pollution standards, 64% of respondents said they would support City efforts to reduce pollution from Fisk and Crawford.
“This poll shows that people all across our city want cleaner air,” said Kim Wasserman, Director of the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization. “Northsiders and southsiders, men and women, Latino, black and white voters all want the City to clean up or shut down the Fisk and Crawford coal plants.”
The poll found that voters in every part of the City want to reduce coal plant pollution, but support was particularly strong in Latino neighborhoods and the South Side. The Fisk coal plant is located in Pilsen and the Crawford coal plant is located in Little Village. Both plants are owned by Midwest Generation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Edison International.
“Pollution from Fisk and Crawford affects everyone in Chicago,” said Maria Torres, an Organizer with Pilsen Alliance. “People in Pilsen and Little Village have been fighting coal plant pollution for years, but it’s clear the rest of the city understands that their health is at risk too.”
In separate question, 56% of those surveyed said that protecting the environment is good for the economy. “Chicagoans understand that we don’t need to choose between clean air and economic growth,” said Howard Learner, Executive Director of the Environmental Law & Policy Center. “Reducing pollution will protect public health and make Chicago’s economy stronger.”
Researchers from the Clean Air Task Force found that pollution from Fisk and Crawford causes 42 premature deaths, 66 heart attacks and 720 asthma attacks each year. The National Research Council found that pollution from Fisk and Crawford costs the public over $120 million each year in health and related damages. One in four Chicagoans live within a three-mile radius of the smokestacks.
The poll was commissioned by ELPC and our allies in the Chicago Clean Power Coalition.
Read more in Crain’s Chicago Business
View detailed results of the poll here
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Public and nonprofit groups don’t pay taxes, so they can’t take advantage of tax incentives that make solar projects more affordable. The get around this problem, solar developers can retain ownership of a solar system they install on a client’s building. The developer collects the tax credits and the client agrees to pay the developer for the power generated by the solar panels. This arrangement has worked well in many states. But in Iowa, Alliant Energy blocked the City of Dubuque from entering into a similar agreement, stating that only a public utility can sell power in Iowa.
ELPC believes that Iowa law allows this kind of power purchase agreement, and is working with the utilities and state authorities to ensure that future projects aren’t held up by unclear regulations.
Read more in Midwest Energy News.
ELPC Executive Director Howard Learner discussed high-speed rail with a high profile panel on November 14th. The panel followed a presentation by US Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood who declared, “We’re on our way. There’s no stopping it. High-speed rail is coming to America.”