ELPC has received the highest rating from Charity Navigator, the independent non-profit rating agency. This 4-star “exceptional” rating means that ELPC’s fiscal management “exceeds industry standards and outperforms most charities in its cause.” Only 12% of non-profits have attained this rating for three consecutive years. Click here for more details. Learn about other awards and honors received by ELPC.
ELPC was honored to receive the President’s Award from the American Institute of Architects Illinois for extraordinary achievements in advancing livable communities. ELPC’s Al Grosboll, left, and Melville Nickerson, right, accepted the award on behalf of ELPC at AIA Illinois’ annual conference from AIA Illinois President Tim McGinn, AIA. In particular, the award recognizes ELPC’s years of leadership and advocacy to establish Energy Efficient Building Codes for residential and commercial buildings in Illinois. Learn about other awards and honors received by ELPC.
In recognition of ELPC’s leadership on Illinois’ Energy Efficient Building Code and the Chicago Climate Action Plan, the Chicago Chapter of the US Green Building Council honored ELPC as a Natural Leader. ELPC’s Howard Learner and Jill Geiger, pictured center, accepted the award on behalf of ELPC from USGBC-Chicago Chapter Executive Director Doug Widener, left, and Board Chair Joseph Clair, right. The “Intent to Matter” award was presented to ELPC at the Emerald Gala, USGBC’s annual celebration of the sustainable building movement, on May 16, 2009. Learn about other awards and honors received by ELPC.
In recognition of his work to make the planet ‘greener and better,’ Chicago Magazine honored ELPC President Howard Learner with a ‘Green Award’. The April issue of Chicago Magazine included a profile of Howard that highlights some of ELPC’s successes, including bringing renewable energy and energy efficiency standards to Illinois, reducing mercury pollution in Illinois waters and working to bring high-speed rail to the Midwest. Learn about other awards and honors received by ELPC.
Friday, April 24, 2009
The City of Farmersville, Illinois welcomed Governor Pat Quinn, ELPC’s Co-Legislative Director Al Grosboll and others from across the state to celebrate the ribbon cutting for its new wind turbine on April 19, 2009. The wind turbine, located on a 60-foot high coal mine waste pile, is expected to produce 2.5 million kilowatt-hours annually. Read more in the Galesburg Register-Mail.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Speaking to a standing-room-only crowd at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, ELPC President Howard Learner said that in tough economic times, it makes sense to invest in a greener future.
Mr. Learner predicted that the Midwest will continue to benefit from investment in wind power and high-speed rail in the coming months. He said that in recent years, concerns about energy, environment, economy and national security have converged and made investing the green economy an obvious choice.
Read a summary of the speech here
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Lake County residents in Illinois will soon consider an advisory referendum for the proposed expansion of the Route 53 tollroad into Lake County. This massive 25-mile tollroad expansion faces the same fundamental problems that have stopped it for years: billions of dollars in construction costs, the limited effectiveness of a massive new north-south tollroad for alleviating west-east traffic congestion, and the harmful environmental impacts of paving over wetlands and more air pollution. There are better, cheaper and environmentally safer alternatives.
First of all, the projected blockbuster construction cost of about $1.5 billion or more for this tollroad expansion is largely unaffordable in today’s economy without raising tolls on the Tri-State Tollway in Lake County and other tollroads. Moreover, that construction cost estimate was made years ago by the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, and it is likely to go up if and when this tollroad expansion is actually built at some future date. There are good reasons why the Toll Highway Authority itself has eliminated the Route 53 Tollroad expansion from its 10-Year plan.
Second, the success of the new Metra North Central rail line in gaining passengers and other related experiences have shown that better and cheaper transportation management alternatives can work well. Improved passenger rail service, arterial and local road improvements, and transit-oriented development strategies can effectively reduce congestion and promote mobility. Let’s be smart about how to relieve traffic congestion with the best solutions to address the real problems.
Third, the environmental harms of the proposed Route 53 tollroad expansion are substantial. This new tollroad would slash through ecologically rich wetlands and threaten key species habitat in Lake County. The additional tollroad traffic would also produce more harmful air pollution, which threatens our children’s health. The proposed tollroad and related development would also risk making the current Lake County flooding problems worse by paving over wetlands, which absorb rainfall.
The outdated Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed Route 53 tollroad expansion would have to be largely re-done. That key environmental information should precede and inform public debate and engage discussion. The Environmental Law & Policy Center will review any future actions to actually go forward with the proposed Route 53 tollroad expansion in order to assure compliance with environmental and other laws.
Fourth, the asserted need for the Route 53 tollroad expansion was based on housing development and population growth forecasts that assumed a much more robust economy than today’s very challenging economic climate. As we painfully know, there is no housing development boom today. We hope and believe that the economy will greatly improve in the reasonably near future. However, the lessons learned from the housing bubble of the past decade are likely to lead to smarter housing development approaches in the future—we hope.
Let’s be smarter going forward about spending transportation funds wisely in ways that provide real solutions to congestion relief problems and do so in ways that protect our environment and communities’ quality of life. Building the massive Route 53 tollroad expansion is an old approach. It’s time for change with better, cheaper and cleaner transportation alternatives and strategies for Lake County and our region.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
In its bid to host the Olympic Games, Chicago has pledged to make 2016 the most environmentally friendly Olympics ever. ELPC President Howard Learner said in a USA Today article that improving the city’s public transit system is a critical part of that plegde.
Improving public transportation can increase mobility while decreasing pollution and traffic congestion. ELPC is one of the environmental groups working with The City of Chicago to make its bid for the 2016 Olympics as ‘green’ as possible.
Read the full article here
Sunday, February 22, 2009
The New York Times reports that a good chunk of the $8 billion for high-speed rail included in the economic stimulus package may benefit the Midwest.
ELPC’s President Howard Learner is quoted stating that the Midwest high-speed rail network is the US rail system that is most ready to go. The Midwest high-speed rail network would connect Chicago with 11 metropolitan areas within a 400 mile radius. For 15 years, ELPC has built support for high-speed rail in the Midwest, meeting with high-speed rail’s most influential backers, including President Obama, Senator Richard Durbin and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.
Read the full article here.
Friday, February 13, 2009
The final version of the Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act now before Congress includes an unprecedented $8 billion investment in high-speed rail. In addition, Amtrak will receive $1.3 billion to rebuild trains and improve its capacity.
“We commend President Obama and Congress for helping to get America moving again with modern trains,” said Howard Learner, Executive Director of the Environmental Law & Policy Center. “Investing in high-speed rail projects will put people to work quickly, create new economic opportunities, increase mobility and reduce traffic congestion and pollution.”
The $8 billion made available through the Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act will be awarded competitively to states to improve passenger rail service, primarily on those corridors where 110 mph service is proposed. Funds can also be used on conventional rail projects that relieve congestion. The Midwest is very well positioned, with federally designated high-speed rail corridors radiating out in a hub-and-spoke network from Chicago to St. Louis, Cleveland, Detroit, Milwaukee, Madison and the Twin Cities.
“The Environmental Law & Policy Center has long called for the development of a Midwest high-speed rail network. Governors and state Departments of Transportation have embraced high-speed rail as modern, fast, comfortable and convenient. We have done the homework and prep work. These projects are now ready to build,” said Learner. “We look forward to working with the states to meet Congress’s challenge to rebuild America with cleaner transportation.”
“Congress has moved on the right track toward economic recovery,” said Learner. “Investing in modern, high-speed rail is an important down payment on America’s transportation future.”
Monday, January 26, 2009
The Environmental Law & Policy Center commends President Barack Obama’s directive to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reconsider the prior administration’s decision denying the waiver for 14 states that have enacted legislation to reduce the global warming pollution from cars.
“President Obama’s action will spur automakers to develop the cleaner cars and innovative pollution reduction technologies that that public wants,” said Howard A. Learner, Executive Director of the Environmental Law & Policy Center. “We appreciate President Obama’s actions to remove the prior administration’s roadblock to states moving forward. Illinois now has a green light to enact the clean car legislation that is currently being considered.”
The state’s proposed legislation would cut global warming pollution from passenger vehicles by 30 percent by 2016. The transportation sector is the second largest source of global warming pollution nationwide. Pollution from cars and trucks is also a leading cause of asthma and other public health problems.
Friday, January 16, 2009
ELPC Hosts Discussion with Illinois Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn
On Friday, January 16, ELPC hosted a lunch discussion with Illinois’ Lt. Governor Pat Quinn. The lunch was part of our ELPC Thinks series in which we bring together environmental and civic leaders to discuss environmental opportunities. More than 70 people attended the standing room only event.
Quinn is pictured at left with ELPC Executive Director Howard Learner and ELPC Board Chair Harry Drucker.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
In the midst of dropping temperatures and rising heating bills, ELPC filed a brief today calling on the Illinois Commerce Commission to approve NICOR’s first ever efficiency program. The program has the potential to save ratepayers millions, while protecting the environment. “We need to get these programs implemented as quickly as possible or we will be in this position again next winter,” said ELPC Senior Attorney Rob Kelter.
ELPC supports the program because NICOR is the largest natural gas utility in Illinois – a 1% reduction in gas consumption by NICOR customers would save $22 million. In addition, Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota all have energy efficiency programs in place and the average consumer in all three states uses less gas than Illinois Customers. Finally, the average home heating bill has risen from $750 per year to $1008 per year in the last five years. Efficiency is the most effective way to save consumers money.
Read the press release. Read the brief.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
On the heels of the Wall Street bailout and hours before the final presidential debate, community and business leaders joined together at Chicago’s Union Station to call on the next President and Congress to invest in better transportation policies for our changing 21st century needs.
Kevin Brubaker, ELPC’s Deputy Director, called for increasing support for rail and public transportation, saying that “Amtrak ridership in Illinois continues to break records. We’ve shown that if you build it, they will come. We need a forward-thinking transportation policy that reflects citizens’ desire to get around in a green and affordable way.”
Restore the Clean Water Act - Protect Our Lakes and Streams! GO
Scientists Unite on Climate Action Need
ELPC’s John Moore: Wind Powers Growth
Notes from ELPC’s President
