“Purchasing any car requires thoughtful consiaderation of many variables – on brand, color, price – and purchasing an electric car can involve an extra layer of research,” said Madeleine Weil, Senior Policy Advocate at ELPC. “PlugInChicagoMetro.org can help consumers by providing a central resource of information about the differences, benefits and decisions involved in being an electric car owner here in Chicago and the suburbs.”

ELPC is working to advance policies that support electric cars and public charging infrastructure in Chicago and the Midwest. “Electric and hybrid cars reduce our dependence on foreign oil, produce less pollution than conventional cars, and can help consumers save money at the gas pump,” said ELPC Executive Director Howard Learner. “We should also seize the opportunities to grow the clean car jobs of the future in the Midwest auto industry.”

According to Learner, government support for public charging stations powered by clean wind and solar power, entrepreneurial ingenuity in the business community and low-cost power available for nighttime charging are just some of the ingredients that will make Chicago a market leader. “The Chicago area can become one of the nation’s leading markets for these new clean electric, natural gas and hybrid vehicles,” he said.

More and more consumers are becoming interested in learning about electric vehicles. “There’s a lot of information about electric cars out there – from dealers selling a particular model, from ‘car guys’ obsessed with the innovative technology, from critics who will scrutinize any and all changes to the status quo – but we’re not any of those people,” Weil added. “We realize purchasing a car is a personal decision. We just want to provide a forum to help Chicago-area consumers make car-buying decisions for themselves and their families.”

For more information about electric vehicles available in the Midwest in 2012, please go to www.PlugInChicagoMetro.org.

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.”

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Read more in the Holland Sentinel.

Read more on ELPC’s Saugatuck Dunes page.

The project will create approximately 800 new jobs during the construction phase, which is expected to begin late spring 2012, and will facilitate service to current and future freight rail customers, including major shippers like Ford Motor Company. The money will be used for track and signal improvements between Detroit and Kalamazoo, Mich., allowing for speeds up to 110 mph on 77 percent of Amtrak’s Wolverine and Blue Water services between Detroit and Chicago. The net result is a 30 minute reduction in travel time between those destinations.

“Michigan’s elected officials have put the needs of their constituents above partisan bickering.  They have recognized that transportation is a bipartisan concern.  By working together across party lines, they have allowed Washington to lay the tracks for Michigan’s economic future,” said ELPC Executive Director Howard Learner.

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder summarized the issue. “Investing in rail service will spark economic development in communities along a corridor linking Detroit and Chicago, two vital Midwest cities,” Snyder said. “A faster, reliable passenger rail system is a priority for younger generations and vital to Michigan’s ability to compete globally as businesses look to locate or expand. The rail improvements will also hasten the transport of freight, a priority for Ford Motor Company and other Michigan businesses along the route.”

ELPC is a vocal advocate for improved passenger rail, working closely with lawmakers around the region to establish new service and improve existing rail lines. The rail line between Chicago and Detroit is part of the Midwest High-Speed Rail Network that will connect cities around the region and tie together the regional economy.

Visit www.highspeedrailworks.org for more information.

Federal grants to improve the Detroit-Chicago line now total more than $400 million, almost half of which was money rejected by Florida. These funds will improve service between Kalamazoo and Dearborn; upgrade stations in Dearborn, Troy-Birmingham, and Battle Creek; and reduce congestion between passenger and freight trains — ultimately  leading to a consistent 4-hour trip between Chicago and Detroit.

Learn more about the Midwest High-Speed Rail Network.

South Dakota Wind Energy Association Executive Director Steve Wegman told the South Dakota Argus Leader that wind energy has poured more than $2 billion into the state since 2002.

ELPC’s Sioux Falls-based Policy Advocate Matt McLarty said, “If we want developers to invest billions of dollars in wind farms and create thousands of new jobs here, the federal government must create a stable, predictable tax climate that encourages long-term investment.”

Read the article in the Argus Leader.

Solar This ELPC report finds that Wisconsin is home to more than 250 wind and solar supply chain businesses that are tied to more than 12,000 Wisconsin jobs. Old-line manufacturing companies are re-tooling to supply growing markets for clean energy equipment. July 2011 Illinois Wind

Solar

Geothermal This ELPC report finds that over 300 Illinois companies are working in the wind, solar or geothermal energy industries and employing over 18,000 people in the state. From old-line steel fabricators to high-tech start-ups, renewable energy is powering job growth and launching Illinois to the forefront of the green economy. April 2011 Michigan Wind

Solar This ELPC report finds there are 121 Michigan businesses working in solar energy and 120 companies involved in wind power. From old-line manufacturing  companies retooling for this growing market to high tech R&D, renewable energy is driving business growth in Michigan.  Solar and Wind power provide over 10,000 jobs in Michigan.  The state ranks fourth in the nation for number of jobs in the solar industry and first in the nation for clean energy patents.

Listen: ELPC Briefing January 2011 Ohio Wind

Solar This ELPC report finds that 106 Ohio companies are doing business with the wind power industry and 63 Ohio companies are part of the solar energy supply chain. Ohio’s strong manufacturing base and skilled workforce, together with supportive policies and smart investments have helped make Ohio a center for clean energy manufacturing. From major companies like First Solar and Cardinal Fastener to over 100 small manufacturers, developers and service firms; clean energy means business for Ohio.

Coverage: Columbus Dispatch

Coverage: Toledo Blade
November 2010 Iowa Wind This ELPC report finds that Iowa’s wind power supply chain comprises 80 Iowa companies with a total of over 2,300 employees in manufacturing alone.  The state ranks second nationally in total wind energy generation. With local manufacturers building everything from huge turbine blades to small electrical components, and service firms providing maintenance, legal, marketing and other support to the industry, wind power means business for Iowa.

The report states that a commitment to business development combined with tax incentives, a skilled workforce and a central location have helped make Iowa a leader in the wind industry.

Listen: ELPC Briefing

Coverage: Cedar Rapids Gazette
November 2010 Illinois Wind This ELPC report finds that more than 100 Illinois companies with a total of over 15,000 employees. These companies range from old-line manufacturers who are retooling to build wind turbine components for the new clean energy economy to corporate headquarters for major wind power developers, to software, financial and support services.

Listen: ELPC’s Briefing

Coverage: Chicago Sun Times
]]> http://elpc.org/2011/07/31/supplychainreports/feed 2 http://elpc.org/2011/07/25/built-by-michigan-electric-vehicle-campaign-launches http://elpc.org/2011/07/25/built-by-michigan-electric-vehicle-campaign-launches#comments Mon, 25 Jul 2011 20:29:03 +0000 Kcoleman http://elpc.org/2011/07/25/built-by-michigan-electric-vehicle-campaign-launches Local press in Michigan, including WNEM, WLNS, WWMT, and WKAR, reported on Friday the launch of the Electric Vehicles: Built By Michigan campaign to help advance the growing electric vehicle industry in Michigan. ELPC is a part of the coalition.

Read more from the Allegan News or the Chicago News Cooperative. ELPC is legal counsel for the Saugatuck Dunes Coastal Alliance, which opposes intensive commercial development of this pristine assembly of dunes, beaches, woods, and wetlands. Read more.