Environmental Law and Policy Center

ELPC’s John Moore on the Growing Support for Energy Crops

pgray — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 21:06:47 +0000

ELPC Senior Attorney John Moore recently sat down with Ethanol Producer Magazine to discuss the Biomass Crop Assistance Program. This new program, which ELPC supported in the 2008 Farm Bill, will help farmers located near biomass facilities to grow and process sustainably-grown energy crops. ELPC is working to jump-start this new program as quickly as possible.

Read the full article here

Howard Learner at Huffington Post: Gearing Up to Advance the Green Economy

pgray — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:47:45 +0000

ELPC President and Executive Director Howard Learner outlines the public policy changes that the Obama administration and the new Congress should acheive to grow the green economy and create a cleaner environment in this article on the Huffington Post:

“It’s time to gear up to seize the opportunities to advance a greener economy and cleaner environment with the new Administration and new Congress. The Midwest and Great Plains states can become business and economic winners in growing the new green economy… Moreover, when it comes to public policy changes, the nation’s Heartland is also a linchpin to reform…

“…Let’s not kid ourselves; achieving this agenda won’t be easy. Ideological opponents are seizing on our country’s economic crisis as a reason to put off action. But the scientists tell us that we must start now to seriously reduce global warming pollution. We can’t just hit the “pause” button and hold off on corrective actions until the economy gets better. Besides, energy efficiency saves us money, and clean energy solutions can create jobs and grow the green economy.”

read the full post here

Share Your Northwoods Story

fgaines — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:07:16 +0000

Remember summers at the family cabin? Did you learn to catch trout in a clear, cold forest stream? What does it feel like to ski silently under towering pines?

Wisconsin’s Northwoods mean something different to all of us, and every story from these woods is another reason they should be protected.

Please use the comments on this page to share your story of what the Northwoods mean to you. Your stories will help us protect Wisconsin’s threatened forests. You can contact us to share photos or other information.

Rally Supports Clean Cars for Illinois

elpc — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:39:45 +0000

Supporters of the Illinois Clean Cars Act turned out yesterday for a rally in downtown Chicago backing the bill. The Environmental Law & Policy Center is a key sponsor of Clean Cars Illinois, the grassroots campaign advocating for the legislation. House Bill 3424 would save $8.4 billion in the cost of gas, resulting in increased spending in Illinois and over 90,000 new jobs. The legislation would require the state to adopt the same clean-car standards in place in California, which would reduce emissions here. Fuel-efficient vehicles also would improve air quality and public health, including asthma and allergies. Learn more about the clean car legislation in Breathing Free in Illinois [pdf file] a report published recently by ELPC. Read more about the rally in coverage from the Chicago Tribune.

Learn more about how you can help at CleanCarsIllinois.org.

ELPC Releases New Series of Radio Public Service Ads

elpc — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 22:36:18 +0000

ELPC has just released a series of public service ads for radio, which will be offered to a broad list of stations around the Midwest. The spots–which were produced by our friends at Downtown Partners Chicago–focus on how individuals can help stop global warming, energy efficiency solutions for farmers and protecting the Great Lakes from pollution.

Listen to the spots here:

Stop global warming

Solutions for farmers

Protecting the Great Lakes

If you are a broadcaster interested in airing one of our spots, please contact Pete Gray at ELPC.

Help ELPC Win the 2009 Battle for a Greener Economy

elpc — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 20:43:19 +0000

Help ELPC Win the 2009 Battle for a Greener Economy

The Environmental Law & Policy Center is gearing up to seize the opportunities to advance a greener economy and cleaner environment with the new Administration and new Congress. The twelve Midwest and Great Plains states where ELPC operates contain many of the key swing Senators and Representatives. They will have a disproportionate role in determining whether national global warming legislation is strong or weak. We’ll be adding staff both in the Midwest and in Washington D.C. to work with the Midwest/Great Plains Senators and Representatives. Please consider making a donation to support this expanded ELPC initiative for a greener economy and cleaner environment.

SILENT AUCTION BID SHEET

fgaines — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 19:05:59 +0000

Thank you for bidding in ELPC’s silent art auction in honor of our 15^th Anniversary. ELPC is the Midwest’s leading public interst environmental legal advocacy and eco-business innovation organization. To support our work, twenty Midwest artists have graciously donated sculptures, photographs, paintings and drawings —- they invite you to bid generously to assure that ELPC has the resources for the important environmental advocacy battles before us.

Please review the list below and examine the art catalogue containing artist biographies and the artist’s statement about each piece in our auction. Then email us your bid by 12:00 noon on Wednesday, November 12^th, — include your name, mailing address, daytime phone number, and the bid amount and artist name — send to llipton@elpc.org. If you have the winning bid, we will call you on November 13^th. You can pay by credit card or check. Thank you for supporting ELPC!

ARTIST	TITLE	ESTIMATED VALUE	MINIMUM BID	BID INCREMENTS
Les Boschke	Wetlands Photograph, 20” x 24”	$900.00	$500.00	$50.00
LaDonna Carlton	Tree photographed in Canyon de Chelly, 18″ x 24″	$750.00	$500.00	$50.00
Terry Evans	Frozen Pond, 20” x 24”	$800.00	$500.00	$50.00
Diane Farris	Nautilus Crane, 12” x 15”	$525.00	$375.00	$50.00
Alice Hargrave	Cabin Photograph, 20” x 24”	$1,025.00	$500.00	$50.00
Mike Helbing	Seathing, stainless steel, found mesh screen and gush	$2,000.00	$1,000.00	$100.00
James Iska	Ghost Tree, 20” x 24”	$1,200.00	$750.00	$100.00
Terrence Karpowicz	World Sculpture	$3,000.00	$1,500.00	$100.00
Peter Latner	North Dakota Photograph, 20” x 24”	$750.00	$500.00	$50.00
Jin Lee	Prairie Winter #1, 24” x 30”	$1,000.00	$750.00	$100.00
Jim Linehan	South Shore of Lake Superior, 24” x 30”	$1,300.00	$750.00	$100.00
Miles Lowry	Poverty Savanna, 22″x39″	$900.00	$500.00	$50.00
Rhondal McKinney	Woods Print, 24” x 30”	$5,000.00	$1,500.00	$100.00
Jill Metcoff Jahns	Smokelines, 25″X14″	$900.00	$500.00	$50.00
Mary O’Shaunessey	I’m So Write Lamp	$300.00	$200.00	$50.00
Colleen Plumb	Prairie Grass Photograph, 24” x 30”	$1,100.00	$750.00	$100.00
Phil Shore	Hand Sculpture	$1,000.00	$750.00	$100.00
Cristina Silvestri	Crow Bird Triptych, 3.5′ by 2′	$1,500.00	$1,000.00	$100.00
Jim Toia	The Tempest Spore Drawing, 31″ x 23″	$7,500.00	$2,500.00	$200.00
Charles Yost	Delta D Sculpture	$550.00	$350.00	$50.00

Environmental Policy Internship - Spring 2009

Sam — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 20:56:15 +0000

The Environmental Law and Policy Center (ELPC) is seeking to hire an undergraduate or graduate student intern in our Chicago, Illinois office for Spring 2009. This intern will support ELPC’s state and federal policy work throughout the Midwest

ORGANIZATION: ELPC is the Midwest’s leading public interest environmental legal advocacy and eco-business innovation organization. We develop strategic advocacy campaigns to protect our natural resources and improve environmental quality. ELPC’s multidisciplinary staff of talented and experienced public interest attorneys, environmental business specialists, public policy advocates, and communications specialists bring an effective combination of skills to solve environmental problems. Please see ELPC’s website for more information at www.elpc.org.

RESPONSIBILITIES: Our policy interns work with ELPC attorneys and other professional staff on ELPC policy, legislative and general advocacy issues. Job activities may include research, clean energy business development, grass roots advocacy work, and special projects. Interns also may attend meetings with state and federal agencies, legislators, and concerned citizens. Our interns assume a significant level of responsibility commensurate with their interests and abilities.

QUALIFICATIONS: Applicants should have a strong academic record, excellent writing and analytical skills, and a demonstrated interest in and commitment to public interest and environmental advocacy.

INTERN STIPEND: This internship is unpaid.

APPLICATION PROCESS: Applicants should send a cover letter and resume by email to: Sarah Wochos at the Environmental Law & Policy Center, swochos@elpc.org. The Environmental Law and Policy Center is an equal opportunity employer and is continually seeking to diversify its staff.

ELPC’s Ettinger in Gary Post Tribune: Clean water rule must have careful consideration of alternatives

jgeiger — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 22:17:57 +0000

According to ELPC Senior Attorney Albert Ettinger, “consideration of alternatives” must be key to new anti-degradation rules being reviewed in Indiana. Industries, environmentalists, municipalities and government officials are working together to clarify existing water rules in Indianapolis.

Read Gitte Laasby’s article in the Gary Post Tribune.

Qualified Energy Conservation Bonds Added to CREBs

elpc — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:00:05 +0000

As an additional incentives in the energy tax portion of the Federal Stabilization Bill, Congress created Qualified Energy Conservation Bonds, a financing program similar to Clean Renewable Energy Bonds (CREBs). This new program authorizes $800 million in Energy Conservation Bonds to be used by state and local governments for, among other uses, energy improvement in public buildings and green community projects such as energy efficiency improvements in residential buildings. It also authorizes use of the bonds for rural renewable energy development, R&D and public education. The program resembles the CREB program for renewables–that is bondholders receive a federal tax credit and the issuer gets interest-free financing. The difference is that the allocations are automatic and proportionate based on population, i.e., there is no application process.