Tuesday, June 30, 2009
The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) is seeking public input on a program that aims to increase the amount of electricity generated by small renewable energy projects, known as distributed generation.
ELPC recently helped South Dakota enact interconnection standards, the rules necessary to help small energy producers connect to the grid. ELPC Policy Advocate Matt McLarty said that gathering public input on its Small Renewable Energy Initiative is a ”critically important step.”
“If South Dakota is going to see its potential fully develop, especially in wind, this is a critical step to layer businesses, as well as small producers, to start a dialogue and get this going,” McLarty said.
Read coverage of the initiative in the Argus Leader
the public can comment on the initiative through this website
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Great news! Today the U.S. House of Representatives passed historic global warming solutions legislation, the American Clean Energy and Security Act (219-212). This was no easy victory – it was achieved in part through constituents’ many letters and phone calls asking legislators to vote “Yes” on the Waxman-Markey Bill. ELPC and our many partners are now turning our strategic attention to the Senate.
Read Grist story quoting ELPC Executive Director Howard Learner on the passage of the bill. “Today’s vote creates momentum for our country to reduce global warming pollution and advance clean energy solutions,” said Howard A. Learner, executive director of the Environmental Law & Policy Center. “We appreciate the Midwest and Great Plains legislators who stood up for the future and voted in favor of this vital legislation.”
Friday, June 26, 2009
With a close vote expected on historic climate and energy legislation, Wisconsin’s Lieutenant Governor Lawton wrote to the Wisconsin congressional delegation urging representatives to vote for the Waxman-Markey bill. Read Lt. Governor Lawton’s letter here.
Call from individuals may be the best way to influence this important vote. Call your legislators today and ask them to vote yes on the the Waxman-Markey climate and energy bill.
Friday, June 19, 2009
ELPC Government Relations Specialist Mindi Grieve, in ELPC’s Jamestown, North Dakota office, has an OpEd in the June 20th Grand Forks Herald. The opinion piece touts North Dakota’s strong clean energy resources and the state’s strong potential to benefit from clean energy legislation:
“Transitioning to a new clean-energy economy will create a bright economic future for North Dakota. In fact, the transition is already under way…North Dakota stands to gain a great deal from clean energy legislation. Our state has a huge potential for wind energy, clean biofuels and other energy sources.”
Read the full OpEd.
Friday, June 12, 2009
ELPC helped create interconnection standards in South Dakota that will make it easier for renewable energy producers to connect to the grid. Those rules were officially approved on June 9, 2009 and will be effective at the end of this month. The rules will pave the way for South Dakota to take advantage of its renewable energy potential.
Read the front page story about the new rules in the Argus Leader.
Friday, May 29, 2009
On May 28, the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) approved new state rules to simplify the connection of wind turbines, solar panels, and other clean energy systems to the electric grid. The standards create a consistent statewide process for connecting smaller renewable energy projects and avoid the uncertainty and costs associated with the previous patchwork of regulations.
ELPC has worked to put interconnection standards in place in several Midwestern states including Illinois, Iowa and Michigan, as part of its mission to create economic development and environmental progress together. The new rules must be approved by a legislative committee before becoming final.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Leading environmental organizations have filed a brief calling for the Michigan Public Service Commission (PSC) to reject the energy efficiency and renewable energy plan filed by Consumers Energy. The groups argue the plan costs consumers too much and the energy efficiency plan does not do enough to reduce customers’ bills.
The brief argues that Consumers prices renewable energy far too high, placing an unreasonable burden on ratepayers. The environmental coalition emphasizes that Consumers’ renewable energy plan asks ratepayers to pay 60% more for renewable energy than neighboring Detroit Edison has proposed in its plan ($174/MWh versus $108 per MWh).
The coalition of groups that include the Michigan Environmental Council, Ecology Center, the Environmental Law & Policy Center and the Natural Resources Defense Council have been active participants in the PSC review of the plan during the last 60 days. Read the coalition press release.
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.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Developing clean energy is critical to solving global warming, strengthening our economy and increasing our energy independence. A clean energy future will require us to use energy more efficiently and generate more of our electricity from clean, renewable sources.
Efficiency
Energy efficiency is the fastest, cheapest and easiest way to meet our growing energy needs. Taking advantage of energy efficiency will lower consumers’ energy bills, reduce pollution and put hundreds of thousands of people to work performing energy audits, retrofitting older buildings, manufacturing energy efficient building materials and more. ELPC is part of the national Campaign for an Energy Efficient America that is pushing for nationwide energy efficiency standard- you can learn more at www.energyefficiencyworks.org
Renewables
Generating electricity from renewable sources like wind, sunlight, plants, moving water and the earth’s heat will greatly reduce global warming pollution while increasing our energy independence creating new jobs and income, especially in rural America. Investing in clean energy will diversify our energy supply and create a sustainable way to move our country forward. ELPC is working with partner organizations to pass a national renewable electricity standard - you can learn more at www.renewableenergyworks.org. You can also download ELPC’s fact sheet on the renewable electricity standard’s benefits for the midwest.
Working Together
In combination, energy efficiency, renewable energy and greenhouse gas cap-and-trade will greatly reduce global warming pollution, grow the clean energy economy and stabilize consumer energy prices. Click here to read an analysis of how the three components work together.
What can I Do?
Transitioning to a clean energy economy will take political courage. Contact your elected officials and ask them to support that national Energy Efficiency and Renewable Electricity standards.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm announced a plan to limit coal power and promote more renewable energy in Michigan during her State of the State address. Granholm called for a 45 percent reduction in fossil fuels by 2020 in order to bring more innovation and jobs to Michigan.
ELPC Senior Attorney Faith Bugel is the lead counsel on the permit review for the Wolverine coal plant. Bugel wrote comments reviewing the flaws in the permit application and shared them with the Governor’s office. She cited failures at the federal, state and permit level, including the need to limit CO2 and fine particulates, and to seek cleaner alternatives according to the Michigan Environmental Protection Act.
“One month ago, we stood before the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and called upon Michigan officials to lead the state into the next century by demanding cleaner alternatives to coal power,” said Bugel. “We’re thrilled with the Governor’s announcement today. Michigan is ready to take action to protect the health of its citizens and to be a leader on global warming solutions.”
Read Greenwire’s article on the announcement.
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