IllinoisSierraClub

I Moved My Blog

2011-09-16T15:00:00.001-05:00

I no longer post to this site - check out http://sierraclubillinois.wordpress.com/ for my posts, plus other great updates from other Illinois Sierra Club leaders.

See you there!

Getting the Smart Grid Right

2011-05-11T08:46:00.005-05:00

You've probably seen or heard the ads from Commonwealth Edison supporting the "smart grid", and their proposal for how to pay for it. In an attempt to pass legislation authorizing automatic increases in our electric bills to pay for the work, ComEd is pulling out all the stops.

We do need to invest in our electric grid. Our current electric infrastructure was built around old, dirty energy sources of the past. Old equipment wastes energy as it loses power on its way to your house, and conventional electric meters don't give you the information you need to be the smartest energy consumer you can be. The old grid won't deliver the clean energy future we all want and need to create jobs in the new energy economy, clean the air, and solve global climate change. So ComEd is right that the time is right for smart grid, but their proposal (House Bill 14 in Illinois' General Assembly) misses the mark.

A truly "smart" grid will not just upgrade old wires and meters. It will also include a policy overhaul to make sure that the new grid is fully open to renewable energy, like solar, wind, and geothermal energy. Illinois has gained over 10,000 jobs in clean energy – mostly in large-scale wind and solar energy projects in rural parts of our state. Small-scale renewable energy, such as rooftop solar or wind projects, offer an opportunity to create at least that many jobs in all parts of Illinois, but existing barriers have constrained the growth of these industries. Up to now, ComEd's strong opposition has blocked crews of electricians, laborers, and other workers from turning our large rooftops into clean energy sources.

Two proposals to remove these barriers include House Bill 1913 (May), which would allow large rooftop owners to benefit from installing renewable energy by crediting their electric bill with any power they generate; and House Bill 1943 (Williams), which would require a portion of the clean energy sold to Illinois ratepayers to come from rooftop projects. Together, these proposals will bring the clean energy economy benefits that many rural areas are now seeing into our cities and suburbs. Any large rooftop - think a big box store, office park, warehouse, etc. - could be a small solar plant, contributing pollution-free electrons to the grid, making it more stable and resilient to price spikes in fossil fuels. With unemployment among building tradesmen and women above 30% and even 40% in some areas, unleashing rooftop renewables is a great way to quickly create jobs when we need them most.

Updating the grid will cost money, but done right, we can also make sure that it saves money. Maximizing our energy conservation programs are a permanent consumer protection, allowing residential and business customers to cut bills by deploying the best energy saving technologies. House Bills 1422 and 3055 (Nekritz) are two different strategies for protecting consumers through energy efficiency upgrades. HB 1422 would allow companies that can reduce energy use to compete with those who produce energy to supply our power needs. HB 3055 would remove existing constraints on how much utilities are allowed to spend to help you save energy. These two approaches work together to ensure that Illinois electric customers receive the full potential bill-lowering benefits of energy efficiency. Instead of an automatic rate hike, these conservation proposals offer the gifts that keep on giving - permanent cuts in bills of the future.

ComEd's proposal ignores these timely solutions. Governor Quinn this week announced that he would veto House Bill 14, and instead called for a comprehensive energy policy that prioritizes energy efficiency and renewable power. Quinn is right on the mark - the process of modernizing Illinois’ electric grid offers a tremendous opportunity to create clean energy jobs, save energy, and reduce pollution. Quinn also wants to make sure the grid of the future is ready for electric vehicles, so that the plug-in cars that will start to arrive in showrooms this year will work for all who choose them - whether you park in a garage, on the street, or you're buying a fleet for your company.

Now is the time, when the General Assembly will consider how to pay for modernizing the grid, to remove the last century’s barriers to the clean energy economy of the future. Join us in telling your state legislator to make sure that we get the smart grid right.

Quinn Vetoes Coal Plant Bailouts

2011-03-14T15:49:00.003-05:00

We applaud Governor Quinn's veto of ratepayer bailouts for two risky, dirty coal plants. Governor Quinn has long been a champion for clean energy and for consumers, and the special interest legislation for Leucadia and Power Holdings were bad for both.

Regarding the Power Holdings legislation (SB 1927), Quinn said:

As we lead the way out of this historic recession, we must always be mindful of the effect our policies will have on the people of Illinois. Not only must new projects and policies be designed to improve our environment and expand our economy, they must also distribute burdens more proportionally among residential users and businesses and provide greater protections against cost overruns and higher energy prices. Unfortunately, the bill before me today falls short of these goals.

And regarding the Leucadia proposal (SB 3388), Quinn said:

Our priorities must be economic growth, consumer protection, environmental quality and a comprehensive approach to energy generation and efficiency. The bill before me today does not fully achieve these goals. This bill exposes citizens throughout Illinois to the long-term risks of fluctuating energy prices. To ensure greater consumer protection, consumers should be given full priority to access any reserve account and a more substantial financial commitment to the account should be made. By requiring utilities to enter substantially equal sourcing agreements, this bill also places the burden of higher energy costs on a small group of residential consumers.

Inadequate consumer protections and high energy costs will not create jobs in Illinois. Until I am satisfied that consumers are protected, burdens are shared, and jobs are created, I will not affix my signature to this bill.

There will be no easy answer that solves all our energy needs. The energy of the past must be developed cleaner and more efficiently, while we invest in the energy of the future.

Trying to turn coal into natural gas will raise heating bills and cause more air pollution - it just doesn't make sense. Illinois ratepayers can thank Governor Quinn for saving them from a big rate hike to bail out these two plants.

We expect these two coal plants to keep pushing for ratepayers to pay more to bail out their risky projects. We call on legislators to say no - especially in these economic times, we should focus on clean energy job creation strategies that have proven to work. We've created over 10,000 jobs in clean energy in recent years by encouraging competition (rather than special deals for individual companies), betting on proven technology like wind and solar, and protecting consumers. Thank you, Governor Quinn, for staying that course - it's clearly the best for our economy and our future.

Flores Out at ICC; Doug Scott In

2011-02-28T16:34:00.002-06:00

We applaud Gov. Quinn's nomination of Illinois EPA Director Doug Scott as Chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission. Illinois' air and water are cleaner today because of Doug Scott's work at IEPA, and he has been a champion for cleaner energy sources. His work on clean energy will be very important at the ICC, which can play an important role in helping Illinois save energy and moving to a cleaner energy future.

We are very disappointed that the Illinois Senate did not act to confirm Acting ICC Chairman Manuel Flores. Although the ICC did not act on Gov. Quinn's nomination of Flores for a full year, Flores made the most of his time at the ICC, where he fought to protect consumers and the environment. Flores fought to cut utility bills through energy conservation, showed the public the exorbitant costs of the proposed Taylorville coal plant, and was taking steps to make sure Illinois is ready for electric cars. If Flores' work for the public interest made him a target of powerful utilities, and cost him his job, then that is a shame. We call on the Senate to move quickly to confirm Doug Scott so he can get to work for the public with the full confidence that Illinois' leaders stand behind him.

Doug Scott leaves big shoes to fill at Illinois EPA. We may not have always agreed with every decision IEPA made during Scott's tenure, but he has always been fair, accessible, and committed to the public interest. We hope Governor Quinn will quickly nominate a new IEPA Director with a similarly strong commitment to protecting our land, air, and water, and moving Illinois to a cleaner energy future.

600 New Energy Jobs for Southern Illinois - Without Rate Hikes or New Pollution

2011-01-25T22:53:00.006-06:00

To hear the coal lobbyists in Springfield tell it, creating energy jobs in Illinois has to mean higher electric and gas bills, more pollution, and sweetheart deals for specific companies.

Meanwhile, in the real world, there's more good news about how our renewable energy goals are bringing good jobs to Illinois, without all the risk and costs of the Tenaska, Leucadia, or Power Holdings bills.

Illinois' commitment to wind is bringing 600 new jobs to Pike County this year - with more to come:

PITTSFIELD, Ill. -- A St. Louis wind energy company plans to develop a 150-megawatt wind farm in Pike County west of Pittsfield, with the total cost of the project expected to be between $250 million and $300 million. Trey Goede, CEO of Affinity Wind, confirmed that his company is planning a 36-megawatt wind farm, which could become operational in the fourth quarter of this year, and a 114-megawatt expansion in 2012. The company plans to construct 75 2-megawatt wind turbines. Affinity announced last week that it closed a joint venture agreement with Chicago-based Suzlon Wind Energy Corp., a subsidiary of Indian-based Suzlon Energy Limited. The two companies will develop the wind farm under the venture called Surity Wind, LLC. ....

Affinity Wind estimated that more than $44 million would be spent locally during construction and $3 million annually once completed, with approximately 600 jobs created. More than $1 million in property taxes would be generated along with lease payments toward landowners. Goede said his idea has been received well in Pike County. "We have had landowners committed from day one, and they have provided their allegiance to the project and partnership to the project very early on," he said. "We are adding more landowners as we speak."

Of course, these jobs aren't the result of a special interest "Affinity bill", or "Suzlon bill". They are the result of our Renewable Portfolio Standard, which, unlike the Tenaska, Leucadia, and Power Holdings bills, keeps utility bills low, invites competition, and invests in proven technology.

Clearly, the fastest, cheapest, cleanest way to create clean energy jobs for Illinois is to stay the course, and continue to prioritize renewables and energy conservation.

Filling Daley's Big Green Shoes

2011-01-05T23:26:00.005-06:00

With the race to be Chicago's next mayor heating up, one major issue that has been a hallmark of Mayor Richard Daley's time in office has received little attention so far - what is to become of Mayor Daley's goal of being the greenest city in America, if not the world, after he steps down in May.

Daley's passion for the environment is well known, and has brought major changes that will benefit Chicagoans for generations to come. His efforts have reached far beyond median planters and other beautification efforts - the changes you don't see every day have been less visible, but much more significant. Across city government, public servants have been tasked with being smarter about how they use energy, and cutting the waste they create. Building codes and permitting processes have led the private sector to change how they build homes and businesses in Chicago.

Chicago's leadership has been important beyond our city or state boundaries. During the Bush Administration, when national action to confront climate change or move to cleaner energy wasn't even seriously discussed, Daley was an early leader in a nationwide movement of mayors who pledged not to wait for a change in Washington to fight global warming. Chicago and other "cool cities" started showing America what fighting climate change looked like, and it looked like cleaner air, reduced government costs, better, smarter buildings, and many more bright ideas.

Daley's vision for greening Chicago has been revolutionary, but it has not yet been fully realized. Chicago is still home to two very old coal-fired power plants without modern pollution controls. Most Chicagoans don't have access to convenient, weekly recycling service. The Chicago River is much cleaner, but still suffers from outdated sewage treatment practices. The artificial connection between Lake Michigan and the Des Plaines/Illinois River has been great for sending Chicago's sewage southwest to Peoria, St. Louis, and the Gulf of Mexico, but it has opened the door to Great Lakes invasive species. Our park system is wonderful, but more than ever our kids need access to safe, healthy, outdoor experiences in their neighborhoods.

Whether Chicago meets these challenges, and reaps the health and job creation benefits of doing so, depends in large part on its next mayor, and whether he or she brings passion and commitment to doing so. That's why Sierra Club and other Chicago environmental organizations have prepared a platform of the major issues facing the next mayor.

Sierra Club is actively meeting candidates for Mayor and City Council, identifying those who have the ideas and commitment to make Chicago the greenest city on the planet. Soon we will announce our endorsements of the candidates we recommend to all the Chicagoans who want the "city that works" to be the city that leads America and the world to a smarter, cleaner future.

Big Coal Feeding Frenzy In Springfield

2011-01-04T10:02:00.002-06:00

As the clock winds down on the lame duck Illinois General Assembly, two out-of-state coal companies are asking to put Illinois ratepayers and businesses on the hook for a bailout of their risky, incredibly expensive projects. The two companies, Tenaska and Leucadia, each have custom-drafted bills they are pressuring the Illinois Senate to approve this week, hoping that Springfield won't look at them like the private market has - like overpriced, risky experiments not worth the gamble.

Both Tenaska and Leucadia offer something Illinois already has in abundance - electricity and natural gas. We already generate more electricity than we consume, so we export power out of state (keeping the nuclear waste and most of the pollution here.) Not only do we not need their product, but they want us to pay at least double the market price for it. Why are we even considering this proposition? Hey, remember, this is Springfield.

Tenaska is looking for money to build their coal plant in Taylorville, southwest of Springfield. Tenaska would finance their project by socking it to the state's largest electric customers - stores, businesses, local governments, hospitals, colleges, and others. For example, CTA riders, University of Illinois students, hospital patients, and local taxpayers would all be asked to pay more. On our electric bill at home, we'll also be chipping in an annual 2% increase to add to the subsidy.

Leucadia wants to build a plant to turn coal and hazardous oil refinery waste into the natural gas we use to heat our homes. Unlike Tenaska, Leucadia proposes to protect businesses from their rate hike, turning to homes and apartments to bear their costs. Some gas bills would go up over $100 per year.

Neither Tenaska or Leucadia have gotten their permits from the Illinois EPA. Neither has a plan in place to deal with the millions of tons of global warming pollution they will add to the air. Those are details they say they'll work out after we're all on the hook - for 30 years.

Proponents say all this cost and all this risk is the price we pay to see whether coal can ever be "clean." (No claims are made that future coal mining will be "clean", or in any way different from the practices that are destroying Illinois farmland and degrading water supplies.) For those who want to see Illinois experiment with coal gasification, the recent growth of Illinois' renewable energy sector is a better model. In jumpstarting our wind and solar industries, the legislature included some key safeguards. First, consumers are protected by a rate impact cap, which ensures that renewable technologies are developed aggressively without price impacts. Second, our renewable energy goals are met by an annual competitive bidding process, encouraging innovation and price competition in the market. Finally, our clean energy laws rely on proven technologies like wind, solar, and geothermal energy, and energy conservation - all ready to deploy without environmental risk.

Those smart safeguards for deploying new energy technologies have already created over 10,000 new jobs in Illinois, and more are in the pipeline. The Tenaska and Leucadia proposals ignore, and contradict, all of those principles. Instead of protecting against rate hikes, increases for every customer in the state, large and small, are hard wired into the two proposals. Instead of encouraging competition to meet a policy goal, these are truly special interest pieces of legislation - they're referred to around the Statehouse as the "Tenaska" and "Leucadia" bills for a reason. When politicians name winners in the marketplace, trouble often ensues. And rather than deploying proven technology, each of these projects are highly speculative, with the greatest uncertainties about whether or how they will deal with the millions of tons of new global warming pollution they will produce each year.

In recent years, the Illinois Senate has been getting a lot right in moving to a clean energy future. This week we'll see if they keep to a path that creates good jobs while protecting ratepayers, or whether they capitulate to big coal's feeding frenzy.

Big Coal Looks to Lame Duck Springfield For Bailouts - Funded by Rate Hikes

2010-12-01T08:19:00.002-06:00

With state legislators in Springfield for a lame-duck veto session, two large corporations are making a power play for longterm, sweetheart deals that would bail out two risky projects that appear to be floundering due to their staggering cost and the massive increases in pollution they would create.

The out-of-state companies are seeking billions of dollars in subsidies from Illinois businesses and residential ratepayers. Each company is lobbying the lame-duck session for its own version of special interest legislation, althought the two proposals share a common principle - forcing Illinoisans to buy their product at far higher than market prices, at the same time increasing air pollution.

The Illinois House approved both bills Tuesday, and today they move to the Illinois Senate:

SB 2485 - Tenaska's $9 Billion Rate Hike Request

· This bill would force all Illinois electricity consumers to pay at least $286 million more for electricity annually.

· A wind farm the size of the Taylorville Energy Center would create up to 7500 job years in installation and manufacturing - at substantially lower cost. Source: Wind Manufacturing Supply Chain Report (2010— ELPC)

· While Tenaska claims they will be capturing a portion of their global warming pollution, this number is not reflecting their entire carbon footprint. (A significant portion of the CO2 will not be captured, but emitted by Tenaska’s customers.)

SB3388 - Ratepayer Subsidies For Leucadia's Dirty Gas:

· Getting natural gas from coal and hazardous refinery waste is far dirtier than the natural gas we use to heat our homes.

· Gas customers should not be locked in to buying gas for 30 years from a company that has not even applied for an IEPA permit.

· Leucadia claims they will capture 85% of their global warming pollution but this is only a portion of the total CO2 they will emit. A significant portion of the CO2 will not be captured, but emitted when Leucadia’s customers burn the gas.

Let's hope the Senate doesn't railroad these bailouts through - contact your State Senator today and urge them to vote no on bailouts for Tenaska and Leucadia.

Voters Keep Illinois Moving To A Cleaner Energy Future

2010-11-04T16:11:00.015-05:00

As the results of Tuesday's election become final, it is clear that Illinois voters are not at all angry about at least one aspect of Illinois government - the major changes we've made in our energy policies in recent years to prioritize renewable energy like wind and solar power, and to get serious about energy conservation.
Starting in 2007, Illinois enacted a series of major clean energy laws that have already created 10,000 new jobs in renewable energy, with thousands more on the way in the years ahead. Our gas and electric utilities are launching major new conservation programs to help homes and businesses cut costs and pollution by reducing energy use, and by 2025, 25% of our electricity must come from renewable sources.

Illinois voters rewarded the key leaders in making these changes with victories this week, and also elected some exciting fresh faces who prioritized clean energy in their campaigns, and who are poised to bring new energy to Springfield. There were stark differences between the candidates on energy policy, and there was great risk that the plug would be pulled on Illinois' transition to a clean energy economy. Here's a brief rundown on some of the key races with major implications for Illinois energy policy:

-Governor Pat Quinn's victory over State Senator Bill Brady is hugely important to maintaining momentum for clean energy in Illinois and in the country. Quinn has made growing Illinois' clean energy a top priority, from implementing our renewable energy standard to maximize Illinois job creation, supporting key legislative actions, budgeting capital construction dollars for energy-efficient construction, switching the state capitol complex from coal to wind power, and appointing clean energy advocate Manny Flores to the Chair the Illinois Commerce Commission. Brady, on the other hand, was one of 13 State Senators to oppose Illinois' landmark clean energy law in 2007, and also opposed energy efficient building codes for new construction and funding for high-speed rail improvements. Brady also doesn't "accept the premise" that pollution is causing climate change, and voted to bar the state from taking any action to regulate global warming pollution. Sierra Club, organized labor, and local government leaders warned before the election that Brady threatened to short-circuit our clean energy economy. Sierra Club made 42,384 mail, 13,653 email, and 7,208 volunteer phone contacts to its members to educate them about the energy issues in the race and urge them to vote.

-In the Illinois Senate, four candidates highlighted their support for clean energy policies in their television advertising and campaign messages. Three of them won, including Michael Noland (D-Elgin), lead Senate sponsor of a new state law to jumpstart the Illinois solar energy industry. Noland appears to have defeated former State Sen. Steve Rauschenberger, who preceeded Noland in the Senate, in the era when subsidizing coal and nuclear power constituted Illinois' energy policy. Toi Hutchinson (D- Chicago Heights) also featured her support for renewable energy jobs in her campaign, and beat back a spirited challenge from tea party candidate Adam Baumgartner. Hutchinson is excited to get back to work on clean energy in Springfield. John Mulroe (D-Chicago) won a hotly contested race on Chicago's west side and near west suburbs, and sees new energy technologies as a key job creator for our state. Sierra Club sent full-time organizers to the Noland, Hutchinson, and Mulroe campaigns to educate Sierra Club members and swing voters about the choices for clean energy in these races. In these three battleground disricts, Sierra Club made 11,204 mail contacts, 2,940 live calls, and knocked on 1,914 doors to get these messages out. Unfortunately, Michael Bond (D-Grayslake), sponsor of Illinois' net metering law that allows homeowners and small businesses who install renewable energy systems to sell excess power back to the grid, was narrowly defeated by Lake Count Board chair Suzi Schmidt (R- Lake Villa). Schmidt did not run against clean energy policies, and in fact has, in the past, worked to protect open space in Lake County.

-In the Illinois House, suburban battleground seats were generally won by candidates who support clean energy and reduce global warming pollution. Incumbents who support clean energy like Fred Crespo (D-Streamwood), who passed legislation enabling local school district to team up to invest in wind power, Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago), who passed legislation to help condo owners install solar panels, and Karen May (D-Highland Park), Chair of the House Renewable Energy Committee, all beat back spirited challenges, as did Carol Sente (D-Vernon Hills), Keith Farnham (D-Elgin), Emily McAsey (D-Lockport), Mike Fortner (R-West Chicago), and Elaine Nekritz (D-Northfield). Several fresh faces will also bring a focus on environmental protection to the Illinois House, including Ann Williams (D-Chicago), Daniel Biss (D-Skokie), Michelle Mussman (D-Hoffman Estates), and Chris Nybo (R-Elmhurst.) In these races, Sierra Club contacted 9,104 swing voters and Sierra Club members.

-Attorney General Lisa Madigan, a key player in Illinois energy policy, cruised to re-election, and she will return as a strong advocate for the environment and clean energy.

Obviously, the success of these clean energy candidates for state office stands in stark contrast to the races for federal offices in Illinois, where clearly, larger forces contributed to the defeat of incumbents Debbie Halvorson (D-Crete), Bill Foster (D-Batavia), Phil Hare (D-Rock Island), and, apparently, Melissa Bean (D-Barrington). State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, who made clean energy a priority in his campaign, narrowly lost to Mark Kirk (R-Wilmette), who previously supported clean energy and climate legislation, but has most recently pledged to oppose limits on global warming pollution.

With little expected from the next Congress in the way of clean energy, states like Illinois may be nationally significant in advancing clean energy technologies and businesses. We've come a long way in recent years toward those goals, and Tuesday's election results are an indication that voters want that progress to continue.

Did Mark Kirk Really Stop BP?

2010-10-29T19:55:00.002-05:00

Did he or didn't he?

Since 2007, Mark Kirk has made a big deal out of his opposition to BP's plans to increase the pollution from its Whiting, IN refinery as part of a plan to switch to a dirtier source of oil - Canadian tar sands.

Most recently, he touted his "stopping" and "beating" BP twice in Wednesday's debate with Alexi Giannoulias.

There's no question Congressman Kirk joined many other leaders, including Senator Durbin, Mayor Daley, Pat Quinn, then-Congressman Rahm Emmanuel, and many others who joined Sierra Club and the environmental community in protesting BPs proposal to increase pollution. To be fair, Kirk certainly didn't go soft on the rhetoric. Here he is from the House floor in 2007:

"We cannot allow new dumping by BP. Later today we will meet with the head of BP North America, and given the legislative tsunami we are preparing, we should simply be discussing BP's terms of surrender on their lake-dumping plan. BP, millions spent in the 'Beyond Petroleum' campaign, but we know it stands for 'Bad Polluter.' Hopefully, BP will back down and be a better partner in protecting Lake Michigan."

To hear Kirk tell it, you'd think he won that battle, and Lake Michigan is safe from the pollution we all protested. You'd be wrong.

Trouble is, nobody stopped BP. Indiana went right ahead and issued BP the permit for the increased pollution. All the protests, including those from Kirk, did net a verbal commitment from BP that they would "review" whether it "could" avoid more pollution; but Indiana's decision to allow the pollution was not reversed. BP was not "beat" or "stopped." They refused to relinquish the permit, and Indiana maintains that the permit, which Kirk called "their lake-dumping plan" is valid. When BP's conversion to dirty "tar sands" oil is complete in 2012, they will be within their right to dump all the pollution we all fought back in 2007.

Kirk apparently reads history a little differently. His campaign website says:
"Fact: Mark Kirk stood up to Big Oil when he stopped BP from polluting Lake Michigan."

In a press release from is Congressional office October 17, 2009,:

'Two years ago, we scored a major victory after BP agreed to back down from its plan to dump more ammonia and industrial sludge into Lake Michigan,' Congressman Mark Kirk said.

On February 2nd, his campaign put out a press release including:

"In Congress, Kirk stopped BP’s plan to pollute Lake Michigan"

In May, Mark Kirk approved this campaign commercial, entitled "Distract", that claims "Stopping British Petroleum's pollution of Lake Michigan..." as an accomplishment. Watch:

Then, June 2nd on Springfield talk radio, Kirk asserted:

"We were successful in stopping that plan because it would have been the first new dumper in the great lakes in 10 years and that’s the source of 95% of North America’s fresh water and where 30 million people pull their drinking water from."

On July 6th, Kirk said at a press conference:

"Let's be clear on what we fought and what we won on. We beat a new IDEM permit."

Q: Didn't they actually issue the permit?

"They absolutely did."

Q: Has it been cancelled?

"I don't think it has."

Q: How can you say you beat it?

"We beat it because BP then decided to build a water treatment plant, adding over $20 million in cost to their Whiting facility."

No one that I've talked to involved in the case has any idea what Kirk is referring to with that $20 million figure. In fact, there is no evidence that BP has changed their "lake dumping plan" at all.

If Kirk's recollection of the past seems off, it's even less clear where he stands on BP's Lake Michigan pollution proposal now. In fact, he seems to actually support BP's move to dirtier gas at Whiting:

"No one argues against the need to expand production capability at the Whiting facility, but there should be zero tolerance for releasing deadly poisons into our air and water.'" Crain's Chicago Business, 6/4/09

Tar sands oil is dirty from start to finish - it takes more energy to extract, uses more water and creates more pollution to refine into gasoline, and is dirtier when we burn it in our cars. That makes Kirk's support for tar sands and apparent opposition to BP's pollution irreconcilable.

It also makes this particular verbal assault on BP quite ironic:

"I think BP now stands for bad polluter...They need to be called out on their corporate hypocrisy." Daily Herald, 7/20/07

I agree with Kirk that those who talk a good game on the environment, even if the facts don't back it up, "need to be called out." It's time for Mark Kirk to stop exaggerating, and be honest with the public about the risks still facing our Great Lake, and about the incomplete nature of the "victory" he is so very proud of.

White House Appoints New Asian Carp Director

2010-09-08T09:48:00.002-05:00

We applaud the Obama Administration for appointing John Goss as federal Asian Carp Director. To save our Great Lakes from Asian Carp and other alien invaders, we need to quickly design a permanent solution that protects our lakes, while continuing the recovery of the Chicago River system. The Great Lakes are a national treasure, and we're pleased that President Obama and his team have made their protection and restoration a top priority.

John Goss' experience in wildlife and environmental protection here in our region will enable him to get off to a fast start, and there is no time to lose. We know that Asian Carp are near Lake Michigan, and we need immediate action to keep them out, while simultaneously working to identify permanent solutions that stop the movement of invasive species between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River.

A permanent solution that protects the Great Lakes and improves our economy in the Chicago region will take work and input from a wide range of government agencies and community voices. With John Goss on board as a full-time Asian Carp Director for the federal government, we can all move forward quickly to studying, planning, and implementing those solutions. There's no time to waste.

Council on Environmental Quality Appoints John Goss as Asian Carp Director

WASHINGTON – Continuing the Obama Administration’s proactive response to the threat that Asian carp poses to the Great Lakes, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) today announced the appointment of John Goss as the Asian Carp Director. In his role, John will serve as the principal advisor to CEQ Chair Nancy Sutley on Asian carp issues, and oversee the coordination of Federal, state, and local efforts to keep Asian carp from establishing in the Great Lakes ecosystems.

Goss joins CEQ from the Indiana Wildlife Federation, the Indiana State affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation, where he served for four years as the Executive Director. In his role at the Wildlife Federation, he worked with conservation, business and industry groups to support the Great Lakes Compact. Goss previously served as Director of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and as Vice Chair of the Great Lakes Commission.

“With a strong background focused on natural resources, John will be an excellent addition to our team as we continue to combat the spread of Asian carp,” said Nancy Sutley, Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality. “He will help to ensure coordination among government agencies and the most effective response across all levels of government to this threat.”

Goss will chair the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee (RCC), which is a team of Federal, state and local agencies working together to prevent Asian carp from establishing populations in the Great Lakes. The Asian Carp Control Strategy Framework, released in February, 2010 and updated in May, 2010, unifies Federal, state and local action in an unparalleled effort to combat invasive species.

Prior to his position at the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Goss was Director of Tourism for the State of Indiana and chaired the Great Lakes International Marketing Initiative for the Great Lakes Governors Association. Goss served as Chief of Staff for Lt. Governor Frank O’Bannon, District Director for Congressman Frank McCloskey and Deputy Mayor for the City of Bloomington, Indiana. Goss received his Masters of Public Affairs and his B.A. in Economics from Indiana University.

A Brighter Future for Illinois

2010-09-02T21:42:00.002-05:00

Here's a new short clip about Illinois' newest clean energy law:

A Slice of Eden on the South Side

2010-08-31T17:51:00.004-05:00

What a great day today for Eden Place - an amazing story on Chicago's south side about turning a very dangerous eyesore into a haven for nature in the heart of a community where many kids wouldn't otherwise have the chance to experience the great outdoors.

A high-level Obama Administration team has been in Chicago this week listening and learning from our region's conservation experiences as they develop the President's America's Great Outdoors initiative. Hundreds of people, many of them young people, have attended listening sessions and breakout groups as we convey what we've learned and accomplished trying to protect and restore the great outdoors in the heart of our metropolis. (There are easy ways to participate at the initiative's website.)

The team also actually got outside to see a few sites, and today there was a great event and tour at Eden Place. A decade ago, Eden Place was an illegal waste dump, filled with 200 tons of drums, concrete, tires, lead - a two-tory dangerous mess in a residential neighborhood.

Michael Howard wanted to do something about lead contamination in the neighborhood, so he organized the community to clean up the dump. But he didn't stop there - Eden Place is now a real oasis, where kids can experience woods, prairie, wetland, grow and eat food, see how chickens are raised, and much more, all within a stone's throw of the Dan Ryan expressway. Sierra Club's Building Bridges to the Outdoors program partnered with Eden Place to mentor young environmentalists with leadership skills.

Today, leaders from the White House Council on Environmental Quality, the Depts of Interior, Agriculture, Health and Human Services, and the EPA were all on hand to tour Eden Place. They got to see that America's Great Outdoors includes small but wonderful sites where people are connecting with the land in ways and places that are suprising and wonderful. What a great story, and a great day for Michael Howard and his team. We, and our kids, need a lot more Michael Howards, and a lot more Eden Places, all over Chicago and America.

P.S. - Saturdays are a great day to check out Eden Place - they have a farmer's market running Saturdays through September 25th, 8am to 3pm.

Let The Sun Shine on Illinois

2010-08-16T21:59:00.006-05:00

Great news today as Gov. Quinn enacts two new laws aimed at jumpstarting Illinois' solar energy industry. Sierra Club made these two bills, which are projected to create 5,000 new jobs, a top priority this year.

Illinois? Solar? You might be surprised, but Illinois gets as much available sunlight as Miami. Solar is getting much cheaper, and there are signs that it can be a growing industry in Illinois. Chicago has a new solar power plant on the south side, and a Chinese company, Wangxiang, is making solar panels in Rockford. Dozens of contractors are now seeking homeowners looking to go solar on their roofs.

This very young industry got a very big boost with Quinn's action today. The two bills signed into law make two simple, but critical changes:

-Illinois utilities must start buying some of the electricity we use in our homes from solar energy; and
-Condo & townhome associations can no longer bar solar installation on rooftops without legitimate safety concerns

Here's how these two changes promise to spur this industry of the future. First, anyone interested in developing a solar power plant in Illinois now knows that ComEd and Ameren must buy some of their power from plants like that. In this recession, those are the kind of market opportunities that leverage capital investment in our communities and our workers.

Second, homeowners who wanted to hire local contractors to install solar, but who couldn't due to outdated rooftop nuisance rules, can now hire those skilled workers to help them save money and cut pollution.

This is a very timely win - for Illinois, which needs all the job creation we can get. For America, wondering "what next" after the Senate's inaction on a clean energy climate bill, we are so proud to offer the country example of basic, yet bold changes we can make to choose a clean energy future.

Illinois Carp Fishing Plan Might Take a Bite Out of Carp

2010-07-13T15:46:00.001-05:00

Governor Quinn today announced a new plan to address the spreading Asian Carp problem - catch some of the fish and send them back to China.

It turns out that the Chinese, who savor the carp as a delicacy, think Illinois-grown Asian Carp are mighty tasty, and are willing to buy whatever we can catch and send back to China.

Catching the fish alone isn't going to solve the problem, but it could be a part of the solution. Biologists believe that one force behind the carp's northward push toward Lake Michigan may be the population pressure in the Illinois river system. Since asian carp now make up most of the life in the Illinois River (by weight), they may be driving themselves northward in search of food.

So, even if there is little chance of fishing them entirely out of the Illinois River, it may well be possible to make a dent in their population, and in the migration pressure. It also could be another reason to keep cleaning up the Illinois River, if the world's most populous country is developing a taste for fish harvested from it.

We still need to move quickly toward a permanent solution, but we applaud the Governor for a creative approach that should help address the problem, while creating new jobs in the once prolific Illinois river fishing industry.

Asian Carp Found in Lake Calumet

2010-06-23T15:17:00.003-05:00

Alarming news today that yesterday crews hunting for Asian Carp found a Bighead Asian Carp was found in Lake Calumet - on the Lake Michigan side of the O'Brien lock.

The government agencies issued this press release today:

The Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee (RCC) announced today that one Bighead Asian carp has been found in Lake Calumet along the Chicago Area Waterway System (CAWS). This is the first physical specimen that has been found in the CAWS above the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s Electric Barrier System.

RCC agencies will enact immediate measures to remove any additional Asian carp found during sampling efforts, including but not limited to electrofishing and netting.

“We set out earlier this year on a fact finding mission and we have found what we were looking for,” said John Rogner, Assistant Director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). “This is important evidence and the more information we have about where Asian carp are, the better chance we have of keeping them out of the Great Lakes.”

The Bighead carp was found in Lake Calumet which sits between T. J. O’Brien Lock and Dam and Lake Michigan. The find was made in the northwest corner of the lake near Harborside Golf Course, approximately six miles downstream of Lake Michigan by a commercial fisherman contracted by the Illinois DNR during routine sampling efforts in the area. The fish was measured to be 34.6 inches long and weighed 19.6 pounds.

This capture represents the first Asian carp discovered above the electric barrier system and just the second in the Chicago Area Waterway System.

The first Asian carp was found on December 3 in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal (CSSC) below the electric barrier system and just above the Lockport Lock and Dam.

Intensive sampling operations on the CAWS by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service first began on February 17 in an attempt to locate either Silver or Bighead Asian carp above the Electric Fish Barrier System.

Previous sampling actions throughout the last four months above the barrier did not produce any Silver or Bighead carp.

Additional sampling actions on Lake Calumet above T.J O’Brien Lock and Dam will include IDNR and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service fishery biologists supported by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and commercial fishermen. Commercial fishing nets and electrofishing gear will continue to be used in Lake Calumet and additional resources will be deployed to begin sampling up the Calumet River leading to Lake Michigan. Electrofishing and sampling efforts in Lake Calumet and the Calumet River will continue throughout the next several weeks.

During these activities every effort will be made to minimize the impact to waterway users and provide as much advanced notice of any possible waterway restrictions.

“This issue is an extremely high priority for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and we will continue to work directly with our partners and stakeholders to implement the Asian Carp Control Strategy Framework using all available tools and techniques,” said Mike Weimer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Assistant Regional Director of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Program. “We remain firmly committed to achieving our collective goal of preventing Asian carp from becoming established in Great Lakes waters.”

The sampling effort is an important and continued effort in the Asian Carp Control Strategy Framework, which includes both short and long term actions to stop the migration of Asian carp into the Great Lakes.

Sampling and monitoring will also continue at five fixed sampling stations throughout the Chicago Area Waterway System as detailed in the RCC’s Sampling and Monitoring plan to search for Asian carp. Commercial fishing operations will also continue to remove Silver or Bighead carp in downstate waters where the fish are known to be present.

“The Army Corps of Engineers will continue to operate the locks and dams in the Chicago Area Waterway System for Congressionally authorized purposes of navigation, water diversion, and flood control. We will continue to support fish suppression activities by modifying existing structures such as locks as requested by other agencies to support this common goal,” said Colonel Vincent Quarles, Command of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Chicago District. “At this time there is no intention to close the locks."

Short and long term control efforts as part of the Asian Carp Control Strategy Framework include:

• Operations to reduce propagule pressure on barriers
• Increased fish collection effort and population suppression
• Evaluation of modified and structures operations in support of fish suppression activities
• Emergency measures to prevent bypass of fish between (1) Des Plaines River and CSSC and (2) I&M Canal and CSSC during flood events
• Increased biological control efforts
• Barrier operations

To view the entire control framework and to receive the latest updates on sampling efforts in the CAWS, log on to www.asiancarp.org.

This underscores the urgency of measures to stop the carp from entering the Lake, and of beginning as soon as possible with an analysis and plan for separating the Lake Michigan and Mississippi/Illinois River watersheds. That's the only way to permanently stop the Asian Carp, and other alien invaders, from getting into our Great Lakes. The sooner we are able to break the artificial connection between these two waterways, the sooner we will be able to stop killing off fish in the Chicago River system.

Solar Jumpstart Package Goes to Gov

2010-05-27T13:25:00.003-05:00

Good news from Springfield this week! Two key components of the RENEW (Rebuild our Economy with New Energy Work) package passed the Illinois House and are on their way to Gov. Quinn.

Good work by our legislative champions, including Sens. Don Harmon and Mike Noland, and Reps. Will Burns, Sara Feigenholtz, along with a lot of helpers (including former Rep. Deborah Graham) in getting this done amidst a chaotic session.

This sends a strong signal that renewables are ready here in the heartland!

From a press release:

Last night, the Illinois General Assembly passed two bills that will create more than 5,000 new jobs and bring more than 3 million kilowatt hours of solar electricity to Illinois consumers by 2014.

"By removing barriers to solar power developers, these measures will create approximately 5,000 new jobs between now and 2015," said Assistant Senate Majority Leader Don Harmon (D-Oak Park), a chief sponsor of HB 6202 in the Illinois Senate. "The cost of solar power has dropped dramatically, and by investing in solar energy now Illinois will be well-positioned to attract solar manufacturing and installation jobs and businesses."

"This puts Illinois in a strong position to attract good, clean energy jobs in the growing solar energy industry," said State Representative Will Burns (D-Chicago), who sponsored HB 6202 in the Illinois House. "Solar power offers potential jobs in communities that need them most, and cleaner air for all of us to breathe."

“We’ve been talking about a clean energy future for a long time, now that future is here,” said Barry Matchett, Policy Advocate for the Environmental Law & Policy Center. “More than ever, we need to put people to work and create clean, safe sources of energy and that’s what these bills do.”

The Solar Ramp Up bill (HB 6202) sets annual targets for the amount of solar power used in Illinois between 2012 and 2015, these targets give industry a green light to invest in solar power and create new jobs, revenue and clean energy here in Illinois.

"Soon some of the electricity powering our homes will be coming from solar energy, in addition to the wind power we have started using in recent years," said Jack Darin, Director of the Sierra Club, Illinois Chapter. "We have created thousands of new wind power jobs with those purchases, and now stand to gain up to 5,000 new jobs by growing the solar industry - all while making deep cuts in air pollution."

Illinois passed a landmark renewable energy standard in 2007 that requires 25% of Illinois’ electricity be generated from renewable sources by 2025. The law requires that at least 6% of the state’s renewable energy come from solar power by 2015, but it didn’t provide a path for Illinois utilities to meet that goal. SB 6202 establishes those targets and sets Illinois on the path to becoming the leading Midwestern state for solar energy. Because of SB 6202 more than 5,000 solar panel installation, manufacturing and maintenance jobs will be created and significant pollution will be avoided.

SB 6202 is the result of an agreement between advocates like the Environmental Law & Policy Center, Sierra Club and the state’s utilities and retail electric suppliers to create a logical schedule to phase in the solar component of renewable energy.
Other supporters of the bill include the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, the City of Chicago, the AFL-CIO, Citizens Utility Board, Illinois Competitive Energy Association, Illinois Environmental Council and the Illinois Respiratory Health Association

Also late Wednesday night, the General Assembly passed HB 5429, the Homeowners’ Solar Rights Act. The legislation clarifies the rights of homeowners living in homeowner or condominium associations to put solar panels on the property and outlines a process for that to occur.

"This legislation removes barriers for many homeowners who want to put solar panels on their roofs, but have been prevented from doing so by outdated restrictions," said State Representative Sara Feigenholtz (D- Chicago), who sponsored HB 5429, the Homeowners' Solar Rights Act, in the Illinois House. "Now Illinois homeowners who want to cut pollution and their utility bills by installing solar panels will be free to do so."

A Sunnier Future For Illinois?

2010-05-24T12:45:00.006-05:00

As the Illinois House returns to focus on the state's budget crisis, they have a chance to take final action on two bills that will create good jobs and jumpstart the Illinois solar energy industry.

House Bills 6202 and 5429 don't cost the state anything, but will create good, high-paying jobs while helping businesses and homeowners cut energy costs. Both are key components of the RENEW package to encourage the use and development of clean energy sources.

HB 6202 moves up the date that Illinois utilities must start buying solar energy from 2016 to 2011. Particularly in this recession, this is critical to securing financing and a market for utility-scale solar plants, like the one Exelon has build on Chicago's south side.

HB 5429 estabilishes the rights of multi-unit homeowners to participate in clean energy generation. Currently, condo and homeowner's association rules, in many cases designed for satellite dishes, prohibit rooftop solar installation. These solar bans have blocked many homeowners from deploying solar, and been a barrier to growth for solar contractors.

Both of these bills have cleared the Illinois Senate, and the House is ready to take them up this week. Please take action now to urge your State Representative to send these two key components of the RENEW package to Gov Quinn.

Hopefully, before the Illinois House adjourns to enjoy the summer sun, they will take final action on two bills that will create good jobs and jumpstart the Illinois solar energy industry.

Tell your State Representative to vote YES on House Bills 6202 and 5429 - they doesn't cost the state anything, will create good, high-paying jobs while helping businesses and homeowners cut energy costs.

The Carp Hunt Continues

2010-05-20T08:14:00.001-05:00

A new phase in the hunt for the Asian Carp begins today, as state and federal agencies begin an operation on a 2-mile stretch of the Cal-Sag Channel, on the inland side of the O'Brien Lock and Dam. This particular stretch has been a hotspot for Asian Carp DNA, and is thought to be good habitat for the invader.

This week's operation is improved based on the lessons learned from December's poisoning. In that operation, we don't know if/how many Asian Carp were killed and sank to the bottom. This time, they are netting the bottom first, so all fish should be recovered. They will also will all be sorted and counted, which should tell us if there are Asian Carp there, but also tell us a lot about the state of the waterway's recovery. The more different kinds of native fish they find, the healthier the water is.

Before poisoning the water (with a plant-based toxin that will then be neutralized to avoid downstream impacts), they will electro-shock it, which only stuns fish. Native species will be collected, kept alive, and returned to the water after the operation is complete.

We're very encouraged to see the Obama and Quinn Administrations mobilize like never before to try to protect our Great Lakes from Asian carp. The immediate actions to find and kill Asian carp near Lake Michigan appear to be necessary. It is also a reminder, however, of the urgent need to begin planning for a permanent solution - undoing the artificial connection of the Great Lakes and the Illinois/Mississippi watersheds. That will take time and very careful planning, and we need to begin now so this period of occasional poisonings and other short-term measures is as short as possible.

The Revenge of the Polluter Bailout

2010-05-05T16:11:00.004-05:00

The General Assembly is really bending over backward in an attempt to bail out a chronic polluter by making you buy the electricity they generate burning tires that could be recycled.

IEPA has notified the Ford Heights tire incinerator of numerous violations of clean air laws. Now some state legislators want to reward their chronic violations with financial support - from you.

First, they tried to classify tire incinerators as "renewable" energy, so they utilities buying the power they generate could count it against the clean energy they have to buy every year.

See how your legislators voted here. Look at the May 4th vote for your Senator - thank them if they voted No.

That didn't pass the laugh test with most legislators. So, backers of the polluter made up a new definition - "reusable energy" - for tire incineration. What's in a name? Well, SB 380 would give "reusable energy" sources access to renewable energy grants that you pay for on your monthly electric bill. They also would get to sell their power to you, through your utility.

That scheme passed the Illinois House - barely - with 61 votes. Last night, it failed in the Illinois Senate, by a wide margin, but that hasn't stopped them from trying again. The same proposal is on the Senate's agenda again for action tonight or tomorrow.

I know bad ideas never die, but surely Springfield has better things to do with their time than bailing out those who routinely break our clean air laws. Let's hope the Senate rejects them again. This is getting to be like a bad horror movie.

See how your legislators voted here.

Cool Joliet?

2010-04-29T09:59:00.002-05:00

What's the first word you think of to describe Joliet?

Was it cool? If not, it may be soon, if the wonderful women at the heart of the Cool Joliet coalition have anything to say about it. And believe me, they do!

Last week I was in Joliet for a wonderful ceremony to celebrate Joliet's signing of the U.S. Conference of Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement, making them the 50h "Cool City" in Illinois. The event was a great rally celebrating what Joliet has committed to do to make a dent in global warming pollution. Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson, State Sens. Linda Holmes (who authored the Illinois Cool Cities Act) and A.J. Wilhelmi, Joliet & Will County officials all pledged their support.

This is all the work of a remarkable coalition of volunteers who call themselves "Cool Joliet". They have a great work ethic, and a wonderful vision for their city as a clean, prosperous hub of innovation thanks to aggressive greening measures.

Can Joliet, a city that has been hurt more than most by the decline in manufacturing and the current recession, some day soon be a green city of the future? Having met the amazing women of Cool Joliet, and hearing the support local leaders are giving their vision, I wouldn't doubt it for a second.

Cool Joliet?

2010-04-29T09:36:00.007-05:00

Asian Carp: Supreme Court Denies Michigan Suit - Can We Focus on Real Solutions Now?

2010-04-26T23:29:00.004-05:00

Hopefully now that the U.S. Supreme Court has denied the State of Michigan's attempt to force the closure of Chicago's Lake Michigan locks, everyone can focus on long term solutions.

I certainly sympathize with those who want all reasonable options on the table to keep the carp out of the Great Lakes, but I also doubt that closing them would actually work. And, I know that the Michigan case and the fight about lock closure has been a big red herring, distracting us from planning for the only long-term solution to the problem of invasive alien species moving between Lake Michigan and the Illinois/Mississippi River system - restoring the natural divisions between these two great aquatic systems.

By re-separating these watersheds (they were artificially connected a century ago to send Chicago's sewage towards Joliet, Peoria, and points south) far inland, we would close the alien species superhighway that exists now between the two. There would no longer be any threat of closing the Lake Michigan locks, in fact, we could probably remove them for good. Recreational access to Lake Michigan wouldn't be threatened, it would be made easier.

Separating the watersheds isn't easy or cheap, but it will work, and there might be tremendous secondary benefits for our region. If it's done as part of an overall upgrade to our freight transportation network, it bolsters Chicago's position in the global economy. It would bring substantial infrastructure investment to our region, creating a large number of high wage jobs.

It's an option that has to be on the table, and a serious study initiated as soon as possible. Until we implement such a solution, we have little choice but to take steps to find and eradicate the carp near Lake Michigan. Those may be our main options now, but the faster we take a hard look at hydrologic separation, the more likely we are to keep Asian Carp and other alien species out of the Great Lakes, and allow the Chicago River system to continue its recovery.

Learn more about hyrdologic separation here.

Is It Earth Day in Springfield?

2010-04-22T13:35:00.010-05:00

I'm generally very upbeat on Earth Day. To me it's a day to celebrate - the Earth, how cool it is, what each of us can do to protect it, and how much progress we've made since the first Earth Day 40 years ago.

However, I've been spending time in Springfield lately.

Granted, they have a lot on their plate, but the recent sessions that have delivered big, landmark clean energy policy changes have not exactly been calm and orderly. For 2010, environmental advocates, very mindful of the budget crisis and the economy, put forth a package of proposals that would create good jobs, protect public health, and not cost the state a dollar.

With the legislative session potentially winding towards a mid-May adjournment, there's been a lot more thinking than acting going when it comes to creating new jobs and protecting our health:

-The Illinois RENEW package would create at least 28,000 jobs by 2015 by jumpstarting the Illinois solar energy industry and maintaining the growth in the wind industry. So far, there hasn't even been a substantial committee hearing on much of the package. Today, Earth Day, the Senate Energy Committee was set to shelve legislation merely to study creating jobs in installing renewables on large rooftops. (On the bright side, a proposal to help homeowners and businesses finance the cost of clean energy projects has cleared the Senate and awaits action in the House.)

-A proposal to protect babies by taking toxic bisphenol A out of baby bottles, sippy cups, and infant formula containers still awaits a vote in the State Senate.

While the environmental agenda awaits, polluters are largely having their way with the process. For example, a proposal to hamstring Illinois EPA's ability to issue protective pollution permits (that IEPA says will cost taxpayers an extra $1.4M per year) sailed through the Senate, as did a bill to lift the decades-old moratorium on new nuclear power plants.

All is not lost - the agenda is still alive, and this week negotiations over the clean energy package gathered steam. However, if this General Assembly is going to make Illinois cleaner and more prosperous, there's a lot left to do in the weeks ahead.

I, for one, would be happy to have another Earth Day after the session ends to celebrate the enactment of these environment and energy proposals.

Susan Hedman Named EPA Region V Administrator

2010-04-21T16:07:00.003-05:00

Great news from USEPA today!

Susan Hedman is great choice to lead the Environmental Protection Agency's efforts here in the Midwest. I have known and worked with Susan for many years, and she is smart, a very hard worker, and firmly committed to serving the public interest. She brings decades of experience in environmental protection around the Great Lakes region, the country, and indeed the planet. Her appointment is another strong sign that professionalism and integrity are important goals for Administrator Lisa Jackson in leading USEPA.

Susan has been a strong advocate for cleaner air and water during her public service as Environmental Counsel and Senior Assistant Attorney General to Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan. She has been at the center of the landmark clean energy policy changes made in Illinois in recent years that have created thousands of good paying jobs across our state, and will create thousands more in the years to come. She has fought for better air pollution controls to protect people with asthma and respiratory disease, and to clean up pollution in Illinois' rivers and drinking water. Illinois is a cleaner, and greener place because of her work here.

The environmental challenges and opportunities facing this region are great. Susan Hedman's experience, skill, and dedication make her the ideal choice for such an important job. Her appointment is great news for all of us who love the Great Lakes, who want to protect our children from pollution, and who are ready to create good jobs in a new, clean energy economy. I know she will always put the people's interest in a healthy environment first.

Julie Hamos - A Real Leader Moves On

2010-04-15T11:36:00.005-05:00

This was State Rep. Julie Hamos' last week in the Illinois House. As she prepares to take on a tough assignment as Gov. Quinn's pick to head the Illinois Dept. of Health and Family Services, I'm thinking a lot of the many important battles she led or helped lead during her decade in the Illinois House.

It's an impressive list. Clearly, Illinois is a healthier, greener, more prosperous place for her efforts. Just as clear is the big vacancy in the Illinois House environmental leadership corps.

Here are a few of Julie's accomplishments:

Better Building Codes To Save Energy & Cut Costs
Julie was the chief sponsor of legislation passed in 2009 that will require all new construction in Illinois to be built to state-of-the-art standards for energy efficiency, which will reduce pollution and save homeowners money on utility bills.

Restoring State Funding For Open Space Protection
When George Ryan raided state funds dedicated to acquiring parks and open space for future generations, Julie Hamos led the fight to restore full funding for our parks. Later, Hamos helped fight off further attempts by Rod Blagojevich to raid park funds.

Promoting Local, Organic Agriculture
Julie Hamos passed legislation establishing the Local and Organic Food and Farm Task Force to promote sustainable food systems.

Saving Illinois Public Transportation
Julie Hamos led the fight to prevent drastic cuts in Metra, Pace, and CTA service by devoting new state funds to mass transit, and fought to shift state dollars away from new roads that would further suburban sprawl toward our mass transit systems.

Julie has also been a major force behind legislation to promote renewable energy, bring cleaner cars to Illinois, protect Illinois' remaining wetlands, and protect Lake Michigan from invasive alien species. She was working to protect the Great Lakes from invaders long before most of us had even heard of Asian Carp.

In 2009, Hamos was honored with the Environmental Leadership Award by the Illinois Environment Council for her efforts in creating energy efficiency building standards legislation.  

Julie has a great mind for strategy, and isn't shy about taking on tough fights. I know I'm a better advocate for having worked with her, and I'm glad she will be helping Gov. Quinn in such a tough time at such an important agency.

I've met Robyn Gabel, Hamos' successor in the General Assembly, and I think she'll bring her own style of leadership to these issues, after two decades of fighting for children's health. She'll be a strong, fresh voice, and Springfield can sure use that.

But we'll still miss Julie. We wish her well in her new post.

Chicago #5 in Green Buildings; Saves $50M/Year

2010-03-24T15:04:00.004-05:00

A new national study by USEPA finds that the Chicago region ranks 5th in the country in terms of number of buildings that earned an "Energy Star" rating for their energy efficiency.

As of 2009, the Chicago area had 134 energy efficient buildings which save $50.2 million each year in energy costs, and eliminate the pollution associated with powering, heating, and cooling 44,500 homes.

Chicago moved up one spot from the previous year's rankings. Los Angeles, Washington DC, San Francisco, and Denver are the top four.

IL Senate Approves Nuclear Rate Hike Option

2010-03-17T21:23:00.002-05:00

This week the Illinois Senate approved legislation to lift the moratorium on new nuclear power plant construction in Illinois. The bill now moves on to the Illinois House.

Nuclear power remains the most expensive and dangerous way to boil water ever invented. The exorbitant costs (investors want no part of it unless us taxpayers are on the hook for the construction, operation, and cleanup costs), and dangerous waste problem have meant little to no interest in building new nuclear in Illinois for many years.

Current Illinois law recognizes one of the very real problems with nuclear power - the lack of any permanent disposal site for the waste. As a result, we have high-level nuclear waste sitting at reactors around Illinois, with nowhere to send it. Under current law, there is a moratorium on new reactors until there's somewhere to put the waste.

That makes a lot of sense. Not only would it be unwise to create and pile on even more high-level nuclear waste in these communities, but new nuclear construction would saddle Illinois ratepayers with certain rate hikes. It would also threaten Illinois' growing renewable energy sector, which is one area of Illinois' economy that is strong and growing.

I can understand the temptation of all the construction jobs created by building a new nuclear power plant, but they're really just a pipe dream. No one is going to build a new reactor in Illinois unless ratepayers are saddled with the costs, and if they started today most of the jobs would be many years away, and short-term in nature.

A far better option for creating jobs now, with no risk, would be the RENEW package of clean energy proposals to jumpstart the Illinois solar energy industry and continue the growth of our wind industry. Those energy projects are much cheaper, will create jobs much faster, and of course leave us with cleaner communities to live in rather than bigger piles of dangerous wastes around our state.

If you agree we should be prioritizing clean energy jobs now, tell your State Representative to focus on better, faster, cheaper renewables.

Putting The Environment on Springfield's Agenda

2010-03-13T21:41:00.003-06:00

Thanks to all who came up, down, and over for 2010 Environmental Lobby Day last Wednesday. We had a great time, had good meetings with 77 legislators, and added 22 new co-sponsors on our priority bills.

If you missed it, here are some of the highlights. Join us next year!

AG Cracks Down on Polluting Coal Mine

2010-02-18T12:01:00.009-06:00

A McDonough County coal mine faces an enforcement action from Attorney General Lisa Madigan & her team after over 300 violations of Illinois clean water laws.

Company records show the Industry Mine repeatedly dumped contaminants into Grindstone Creek (left).

According to the Peoria Journal-Star:

In March 31, 2007, the mine was allowed to discharge a daily maximum of up to 7.0 milligrams per liter of iron, but actually discharged 47.9 milligrams per liter, according to the complaint.

The alleged violations stretch back to 2004 and are as recent as December 2009.

"Some of these (violations) are just outrageous," said Joyce Blumenshine, who is a member of the Heart of Illinois Group Sierra Club, which, along with the Environmental Law and Policy Center and the Prairie Rivers Network, filed paperwork in December to sue the mine.

The strip mine is located southwest of Macomb, and has over 300 water permit violations polluting area streams since 2004. The mine discharges into Grindstone Creek, a beautiful Illinois stream with a historic heron rookery and a maternity roost tree of federally endangered Indiana Bats.

The Springfield Coal Company, which owns the Industry Mine, is now seeking permission to open a new mine near Canton Lake (below), source of drinking water for Canton. Canton residents are worried that the violations at the McDonough County mine bode ill for their beloved Canton Lake, and their water supply.

It's great to see the Attorney General stepping in to enforce the law here. There is a lot of talk these days about how to deal with all of their air pollution from burning coal. These violations are a reminder that we also need to do a better job protecting our water supply and farmland from the impacts of coal mining.

Latest MWRD Excuse For Not Making the Chicago River Safe: Global Warming

2010-01-22T12:10:00.003-06:00

Today's Tribune article demonstrates the lengths the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District will go to keep open the giant loophole that allows them to deny Chicagoans the same protection the give suburban residents - killing dangerous pathogens in their effluent before they dump it in the Chicago River system.

MWRD disinfects the treated water they discharge to the DuPage River system, but is spending taxpayer dollars fighting the State of Illinois' attempts to make them clean up their act. The City of Chicago, the Illinois Attorney General, and a coalition of environmental, health, and recreation advocates also support cleanup.

The Tribune has the latest in MWRD's campaign to maintain the status quo:

Engineers with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago recently completed an in-house study of its carbon footprint at the request of the elected board of commissioners. Going beyond the assignment, they also decided to look at how the footprint would change if it had to kill bacteria in sewage before pouring it into the Chicago River.

Starting to disinfect the wastewater — a change the 120-year-old agency has long opposed — would bolster the district's greenhouse gas emissions and thereby cause more bad than good, they concluded.

"With additional treatment, you have to weigh how much water quality is actually being accomplished with more harm to the environment in another way," said Louis Kollias, the director of the district's Monitoring and Research Department. "You're going to have to have it one way or the other. You can't have both."

Obviously reducing your carbon footprint is a good idea, for lots of reasons. Other local governments are doing that by buying renewable energy instead of dirty power, That's how the State of Illinois, the cities of Chicago and Springfield, and many others are doing.

I know of no efforts by MWRD to buy wind or solar power instead of coal. Instead, they plan for second-class sewage treatment? Are they looking at turning off disinfection in the suburbs, to save on energy costs?

This would all be funny if it weren't putting people at risk. And it is hardly a joke that MWRD is wasting our property tax dollars on lawyers and PR schemes like this, all supposedly in the name of cost effectiveness.

Consider it the latest reason to make smart choices when you vote for MWRD Commissioner February 2nd. Sierra Club's recommendations are here.

Manny Flores: A Clean Energy Champion for the ICC

2010-01-06T13:11:00.002-06:00

This week Gov. Quinn nominated Chicago Ald. Manny Flores to be the new Chair of the Illinois Commerce Commission. If confirmed by the Illinois Senate, this is great news for everyone who stands to gain (and that means all of us) by moving to a new energy economy in Illinois.

Flores has been an environmental champion on the Chicago City Council, working to create green jobs in the city, promote clean energy, and remove toxic chemicals from consumer products. The Illinois Commerce Commission has not historically been considered a major environmental policymaking authority, but they are now squarely in the middle of major decisions about our energy future, including questions such as:

-Will we meet our target of 25% renewable energy by 2025? Can we exceed it, or reach it faster?
-Will we maximize efforts to cut utility bills by saving energy?
-Will we create the maximum number of new Illinois jobs in the process?

All this makes it perfect timing to have a clean energy leader take the helm at the ICC.

Here's an excerpt from a conversation I had with Flores about clean energy in November - when he attended a USEPA hearing on regulating global warming pollution. He talks about the imperative of moving now to participate in the new economy, and of a recent trip to South Korea, which is heading that way.

Hopefully the Illinois Senate, which itself has done a great deal in recent years to move Illinois to a clean energy future, will quickly confirm Flores.

Asian Carp At Great Lakes' Door

2009-11-20T10:29:00.003-06:00

Bad news this week from the team trying to keep destructive alien fish species out of the Great Lakes - there is new evidence that asian carp may have made it to the brink of Lake Michigan - O'Brien Lock and Dam on the Calumet River.

Today's news:

New eDNA Monitoring Results Spurs Rapid Response Action

(Chicago) -- On November 17, the University of Notre Dame notified the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that some water samples, taken from the area between the electric barriers and Lake Michigan on September 23 and October 1, tested positive for the presence of Asian carp. The positive samples were from an area about one mile south of the O'Brien Lock, approximately 8 miles from Lake Michigan.

As part of its ongoing Asian carp monitoring program, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers continues to work with the university to use eDNA genetic testing of water samples to monitor the presence of bighead and silver carp in Chicago area waterways.

"Keeping Asian carp from reaching Lake Michigan remains the focus and goal of the IDNR and the Rapid Response Work Group. We will continue to work with the group and our partners on how best to address this new issue and move forward with achieving our overall goal," said IDNR Assistant Director John Rogner.

The multi-agency rapid response team is working to develop appropriate courses of action based on this new information. Initial response actions will include focusing Asian carp eDNA sampling and other monitoring efforts on areas upstream of the barrier to gather near real-time data on the current location of Asian carp to aid the Rapid Response team in their planning efforts.

The Rapid Response Work Group is finalizing plans to apply rotenone to a section of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal in early December as part of a scheduled fish barrier maintenance shut down.

“Scheduled barrier maintenance will proceed as planned,” said Major General John W. Peabody, Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Great Lakes and Ohio River Division. “This new information reinforces the importance of preventing any further intrusion of the Asian carp via the largest pathway, the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal.”

Additional information about the recent sampling efforts is available on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' website at www.lrc.usace.army.mil.

Additional information about Asian carp and the Rapid Response Work Group members is at www.asiancarp.org/rapidresponse.

There are not a lot of good options available at this point. All options are not certain to succeed, and also have negative side effects. Still, it seems we have little choice than to keep all options on the table to try to keep these voracious predators out of Lake Michigan and our Great Lakes.

Video: Weatherizing Chicago

2009-11-13T17:01:00.003-06:00

Recently we participated in an event in Chicago to celebrate National Weatherization Day (haven't seen the greeting card for that one yet!). The purpose was to raise awareness among homeowners that there are major new resources available for cutting your energy use and utility bills, thanks to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). ARRA is putting people to work in these programs all over the country. In Cook County, the Community Economic Development Association of Cook County, or CEDA, is the agency providing the jobs and the services. Other community action agencies are implementing similar programs elsewhere in Illinois.

Here's some highlights from National Weatherization Day event at an apartment building in Chicago's Austin community:

The jobs and energy savings being created through ARRA funding is especially exciting here in Illinois, where we recently won a great victory for funding this important work. As part of the state capital spending plan approved by the General Assembly this year, $425 million was budgeted for weatherization programs in the future. Those dollars will be available after the federal ARRA funding has been spent, allowing Illinois to sustain the changes, jobs, and energy savings initiated by federal funding well into the future.

We're also proud of the fact that we passed state legislation this year to require state-of-the-art buidling codes for energy efficiency statewide, so in the decades ahead, new Illinois buildings will be energy efficient from the beginning.

Green jobs are here now, and more are on the way!

USEPA Blocks BP Refinery Expansion

2009-10-19T14:10:00.001-05:00

Good news today on the clean energy front:

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today issued an objection to the operating permit for BP North America’s refinery in Whiting, IN that will require the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to rewrite the permit. The decision is a
victory for the citizens and environmental groups who petitioned EPA to
object to the permit in August 2008 on the grounds that it did not
accurately account for the large increases in dangerous air pollution that
would be caused by BP’s expansion of the refinery. The petition was
submitted by Environmental Law & Policy Center, Hoosier Environmental
Council, Natural Resources Defense Council, Save the Dunes Council, Sierra
Club, Susan Eleuterio and Tom Tsourlis.

BP began a major expansion of the Whiting Refinery in 2008 in order to
process dirty Canadian tar sands crude oil at the facility. The expansion
would make the refinery the largest refiner of tar sands oil in the U.S.
and would increase numerous traditional air pollutants like sulfur dioxide,
nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter. In addition, the expansion would
create approximately as much new global warming pollution as a new 300-400
megawatt coal plant, about a forty percent increase from current refinery
levels.

BP’s permit application claimed the expansion would not increase pollution
because the company would offset the increased emissions by shutting down
some older equipment at the refinery at a later date. But the company
failed to take into account many distinct sources of pollution from the
refinery, including flares (the large torch-like tower structures that burn
excess gases from the refining process) and “fugitive emissions” from leaks
and other sources. EPA’s objection requires the Indiana Department of
Environmental Management to go back and redo the permit taking these
sources into account. In the case of flares, EPA also presented the option
of prohibiting all new and increased flaring emissions. This is the first
Title V decision from the EPA requiring that these pollution sources be
addressed in refinery permits, and stands as important direction-setting
for future projects.

Last Day to Give IDNR Your Advice

2009-10-15T11:10:00.002-05:00

Here's a good story on the latest in IDNR's effort to engage the Illinois outdoor community in discussion about the future of the agency.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is only now beginning the long road to recovery after years of budget cuts, layoffs and park closures.

In the latest example of Gov. Pat Quinn-style electronic democracy, IDNR Director Marc Miller is asking outdoor enthusiasts to fill out an online survey to help find cures for what ails the agency. He's hoping for input in three areas:

-- How can IDNR get more people involved in outdoor recreation?

-- How can the agency boost public access to recreational opportunities in a state where 98 percent of the land is privately owned?

-- Where can the financially-strapped state find more cash to enhance conservation and recreation?

Visit http://dnr.state.il.us/nrab/cc.htm to take part.

The Conservation Congress will review the results at its upcoming meeting Oct. 24-25 at IDNR headquarters in Springfield. The congress is a grassroots citizen input structure originally put in place by Brent Manning, director of IDNR during what many view as the agency's golden age under Govs. Jim Edgar and George Ryan.

If you haven't yet filled out the survey, take 5 minutes today to do so - today is the last day it is online, to give the Department time to analyze the results before the Conservation Congress next weekend.

Cook County: Wheeling and Dealing With Our Preserves

2009-10-06T15:09:00.006-05:00

This year the Chicago region is marking the 100th anniversary of Daniel Burnham's plan for Chicago that included a proposal for the Cook County forest preserve system, among other visionary features (like our open, green lakefront, to name another.)

Unfortunately, some on the Cook County board are prepared to mark the occasion by chipping away at the precious "emerald necklace" of forest preserves that rings Cook County and offers all of us a brief break from the pavement. On September 2nd, the Real Estate Committee of the Cook County Board of Commissioners voted to allow the clearing of 26 acres of Bemis Woods and to negotiate a long-term lease on the forest preserve property.

On Wednesday, the full Cook County Board will consider the Real Estate Committee's recommendation. Hundreds of Sierra Club members have been contacting their Commissioners, and we expect a close vote at the meeting. On Monday, the Chicago Tribune weighed in with a strong editorial against the proposal. If you live in Cook County, you can help keep our forest preserves intact by:

1) contacting your Cook County Commissioner and urging them to vote no on the lease at Wednesday's meeting; and
2) attending a Friends of the Forest Preserves rally Wednesday morning before the vote:

9 a.m. Wednesday, October 7,
outside of the County Board Room,
118 N. Clark St., 5th Floor

We are all the beneficiaries of visionaries like Burnham who planned and sacrificed so that we can enjoy these natural areas, and pass them on to future generations. In tough times like these, we especially need places nearby when our kids and all of us can experience nature, even if we can't afford to get out of town to bigger, more pristine parks and preserves far away.

Let's show the Cook County Board that these are not their preserves to be making deals with - they belong to all of us, and to the future.

Bring the Blue-Green Games to Chicago

2009-09-30T21:54:00.004-05:00

There's a lot riding on the International Olympic Committee vote Friday, including a very unique opportunity to make the Chicago region a cleaner, greener, healthier place for 2017 and beyond.

Chicago 2016 has put together an impressive vision for a Blue-Green Games that deals with the air, water, habitat, open space, climate, and other issues associated with an event on this scale. Chicago's games will be very compact, not contributing to urban sprawl. All spectators will take public transit to all events - no parking lots. The games will be powered by 100% renewable energy, and leave our wonderful parks bigger and better after the Games leave town.

There is a tremendous amount happening in our city and our region in the area of sustainability. With environmental protection at its heart, the 2016 games have the potential to bring new energy, audiences, funding, and commitment to these already strong efforts.

I've really enjoyed being a part of the 2016 environment team, and am excited to get to work on the next phase of implementing the Blue-Green vision after we win on Friday!

Mark Kirk: Solving Global Warming a "Narrow Interest"

2009-09-16T21:14:00.004-05:00

Last Saturday at an event in DuPage County, Mark Kirk discounted what had looked like a courageous vote in favor of the American Clean Energy Security Act in June.

On Saturday, here's how Kirk described his vote on preventing climate change:

"I voted for it because of the narrow interests of my Congressional district. But, as your representative, representing the entire state of Illinois, I will vote no".

Climate change is a "narrow interest"?

It is hard to imagine anything that this, or any, Congress could vote on that is a broader interest than climate change. Scientists agree that urgent action is needed by the world, and the U.S. in particular, if we have any chance to avert catastrophic change that threatens life as we know it.

When he says that climate change is a "narrow interest" of north suburban voters, does he mean it won't affect other parts of Illinois? The Union of Concerned Scientists recently released a report that found these risks to Illinois agriculture:

The Illinois agriculture sector would suffer from substantially more heat stress, which would impair livestock productivity. Illinois hog producers -- whose hog sales reached $800 million in 2007 -- already lose $20.5 million annually due to heat-stressed animals. By the end of the century, nearly permanent heat stress would plague hogs, dairy cattle and other livestock unless they are kept cool, for example, in costly air-conditioned barns.

Crop yields would also suffer. Illinois has 67 percent of its land in crop production and ranks second among the states in crop value. A 1988 heat wave that cost the United States $40 bil lion -- mostly due to crop losses -- reduced Illinois corn and soybean yields by more than 75 percent of their average annual yields from 1978 to 1997. By mid-century under the high er-emissions scenario, all Illinois summers are projected to be hotter than 1988.

Warmer winters and a growing season as much as six weeks longer than during the baseline decades would enable pests, such as the corn earworm, to expand their range. Between 1961 and 1990, conditions favorable to the corn earworm occurred once every 15 years in the middle of the state and once every three years in southern Illinois. With unchecked global warming, by the end of this century corn earworm infestations could happen nearly half the summers in the state's midsection and nearly every summer in the south.

Crop production also would be threatened by changing rain patterns, ranging from wetter springs -- which delay planting and increase flood risk -- to nearly 15 percent less rain during increasingly hot summers. Crop-damaging three- and seven-day heat waves would occur at least every other summer toward the end of the century. During the report's baseline period, three-day heat waves occurred only about once a decade, and seven-day heat waves occurred once out of 30 summers.

So global warming threatens our entire state, not just the 10th Congressional district. What about public support? I have not seen district-specific polling, but this recent national poll finds the American people in favor of the legislation Kirk has apparently disowned by about a 2:1 margin.

To be sure, there are powerful narrow interests working hard against these changes. Dirty coal is pulling out all the stops to keep their loophole, exempting CO2 pollution, wide open. Big oil is trying hard to keep us all on their hook, including scaring farmers, most of whom depend on fertilizers and fuels made out of their oil.

Kirk's vote for a clean energy future, and a chance to avoid the worst consequences of climate change, was the right choice for the broader interest. Now that he has told us all he wouldn't do it again, lots of Illinois voters want to know -

Mark Kirk - is my interest in a cleaner, better energy future a "narrow interest", or the public interest?

Springfield an Ironic Choice for Rally Against New Energy

2009-09-01T00:04:00.004-05:00

Tuesday oil and coal lobbyists are bringing outsiders to Springfield for a few hours to protest the clean energy jobs legislation pending in Washington, and to attempt to argue for the status quo.

I know the location was picked by the American Petroleum Institute inside the beltway, but still - haven't they heard that Springfield is basically doing what the clean energy jobs bill proposes for the country?

Most of the "energy citizens" are getting a free ride, a free lunch, and a day's pay to show up and protest clean energy Tuesday. Here's what the DC organizers of the rally are against, and how Springfield is already doing just that:

-Targets for reducing global warming pollution
Springfield has committed to reducing global warming pollution 7% below 1990 levels by 2012, and gave residents cleaner air by shutting down an old dirty coal plant to help meet these levels

-Investing in the future with renewable energy
Springfield is leading the transition to a new energy future with its investments in wind energy, which protect local ratepayers by diversifying their power supply, and make our state capitol 100% wind-powered.

-Creating jobs cutting power bills
Springfield has begun major new energy efficiency programs to help residents and businesses use less energy, and create good jobs for skilled workers qualified to do energy efficiency upgrades.

So while Springfield moves to the future, national and state lobbyists gather here to argue for failed energy policies that leave most of us with high prices and pollution, and make the companies financing this “rally” richer and richer.

Springfield is showing that solving global warming works - they are doing it NOW, and know that it creates jobs, lowers energy prices, and cleans the air.

These are the same major changes before Congress this fall. Springfield knows these were good choices, and we are already seeing the results.

Maybe big oil and dirty coal can take some of those lessons back to Washington.

Obama, Madigan Sue Midwest Generation

2009-08-28T08:24:00.001-05:00

Yesterday the Obama administration and Lisa Madigan stepped up to defend the air we breathe, and expedite Illinois transition to a cleaner energy future.

These plants have avoided modern pollution controls for too long, and hopefully there will be cleaner air on the way very soon.

Jacky Grimshaw on the CTA Board!

2009-08-20T16:49:00.003-05:00

Today Governor Quinn appointed longtime public transportation champion Jacky Grimshaw to the board of the Chicago Transit Authority. I've known Jacky for a long time and she is very dedicated to quality transit options for all people and communities. She also understands very well the key role that good transit will play in solving global warming, and how transportation and land use planning have to be coordinated. That has often not been the case in our region, where fiefdoms and small agendas historically have often trumped regional planning for the good of everyone. There have been encouraging steps in the right direction in recent years, and Jacky's appointment to the CTA board is another big one.

Congratulations, Jacky, on recognition well deserved and long overdue. Good pick Gov!

IL Home to "Clunkers" of the Power Plant World

2009-08-17T10:38:00.003-05:00

There's a great piece in today's Washington Post about how "the clunkers of the power plant world" (great quote by clean air champ Brian Urbaszewski of the Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago!)may or may not be impacted by energy legislation before the Congress this year.

The Post story focuses on the two "clunkers" in Chicago - the Crawford and Fisk coal plants that we are currently targeting with legal actions, but they are not the only plants in Illinois. Illinois has 16 of these old plants that don't have to burn as cleanly as a modern plant.

The real fix here would be to level the playing field, and establish clean national standards for emissions that apply to all coal plants, and end the double standard that keeps these clunkers roaring throughout the state, and the country. That would correct an error in the Clean Air Act that created the double standard we are living with today, and expedite a transition to cleaner energy, create new jobs, and clear the air.

A New Voice for Clean Water at MWRD

2009-08-12T21:23:00.006-05:00

Gov. Quinn has appointed a new Commissioner to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. Last week he appointed Mariyana Spyropoulos to the MWRD seat vacated in January when then-Commissioner Patricia Young resigned her seat.

Spyropoulos very nearly won a seat on the MWRD at the ballot box in 2008, and Sierra Club supported her in that campaign. She believes the loophole allowing un-disinfected sewage to flow into the Chicago River system should close, and that MWRD should install modern pollution controls to protect the thousands of people using the North Shore Channel, Chicago River, and Cal-Sag Channel for recreation.

Congratulations to Gov. Quinn on a good choice for clean water, and to Mariyana Spyropoulos. She will now, presumably, stand for re-election in the 2010 primary and general elections.

UPDATED: Sierra Club And Our Allies To Sue Midwest Generation

2009-07-28T08:10:00.011-05:00

UPDATED OCTOBER 12TH:

Since we filed notice of our intent to sue this summer, the Obama Administration and Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan brought suit on their own against these plants.

Now we are seeking to intervene in the governments' action to help them secure the best possible outcome for public health:

Health and Environment Groups Intervene in Federal Pollution Case Against Coal Plant Operator

CHICAGO (October 12, 2009) — A coalition of health and environmental groups have rejoined the fight over illegal air pollution from a fleet of six aging coal plants owned and operated by Midwest Generation, LLC in Illinois. The coalition had signaled their intent to sue the company for violating the Clean Air Act this summer before the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), US Department of20Justice (DOJ), and Illinois Attorney General stepped in and filed suit last month. The government suit supersedes the suit that the coalition had initiated, so the groups are moving to intervene in support of the new case.

The coalition members, Citizens Against Ruining the Environment (C.A.R.E.), The Environmental Law and Policy Center (ELPC), Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago and Sierra Club, filed a motion to join the suit relating to issues of opacity violations. Opacity is a measurement of the amount of light blocked by particulate matter coming from smokestacks. Particulate matter is fine dust and soot that stays close to the plant and concentrates negative air quality and health effects in nearby communities leading to respiratory illnesses and premature deaths. The USEPA has cited Midwest Generation’s coal plants for numerous air pollution-related violations..

Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health have found that the Fisk and Crawford plants in Chicago are responsible for 41 premature deaths, 550 emergency room visits and 2800 asthma attacks annually. Midwest Generation owns coal plants in Chicago, Waukegan, Joliet, Romeoville and Pekin, Illinois.

Midwest Generation’s own reports document that all of the company’s coal plants regularly violate opacity regulations. The coalition has chosen to support the government suit in the hope for quick relief in court that will force Midwest Generation to clean up or close these facilities.

“Midwest Generation’s coal plants have been polluting our communities and blocking our path to a clean energy economy for too long,” said James Gignac, Midwest Director of Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign. “It’s time for them to pay the piper, and we want to make sure the government acts swiftly to enforce the law and hold Midwest Generation accountable.”

END OF UPDATE

Today Sierra Club and our allies notified Midwest Generation of our intent to sue them over a long pattern of violations at their plants in Chicago, Joliet, and near Peoria.

Because they are very old, these plants do not have to operate as cleanly as a new coal plant would. Today we are charging that they repeatedly failed to meet even the lesser standard. Pollution from coal plants in our region has been linked to 311 premature deaths, 4100 emergency room visits, and 21,500 asthma attacks per year.

The people who live near these smokestacks, and indeed our entire region, deserve better.

From our press release:

A coalition of Illinois health and environmental groups notified Midwest Generation, LLC of their intent to sue the company because its coal plants release illegally high amounts of particulate matter that leads to respiratory illnesses and premature deaths in nearby communities. The suit follows a number of air pollution-related citations from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) against Midwest Generation’s coal plants in the state, particularly the Fisk and Crawford Generating Stations located within the Chicago city limits.

The coalition members, Citizens Against Ruining the Environment, The Environmental Law and Policy Center, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), The Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago and Sierra Club, filed a 60-day notice of intent to sue today, the first step in a Clean Air Act citizen suit. This action brings a new legal development in an ongoing campaign by environmental, health and community groups representing the communities in which the coal plants are located. All of the plants are located in working class and/or minority neighborhoods.

Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health have found that pollution from 9 coal plants in northern Illinois causes 311 premature deaths, 4100 emergency room visits, and 21,500 asthma attacks annually. Midwest Generation owns coal plants in Chicago, Waukegan, Joliet, Romeoville and Pekin, Illinois.

The potential lawsuit focuses on the coal plants’ opacity violations. Opacity is a measurement of the amount of light blocked by particulate matter coming from smokestacks. Particulate matter is fine dust and soot that stays close to the plant and concentrates negative air quality and health effects in nearby communities. EPA issued a notice of violation to Midwest Generation in August 2007 but has failed to take meaningful action to force clean ups at the plants and has allowed the plants to continue violating the law for the past two years.

Because of their age, Midwest Generation’s coal plants are subject to more lenient opacity regulations than more modern plants. But Midwest’s Generation’s own reports document that all of the company’s coal plants regularly violate even these relaxed opacity regulations. Installing modern pollution controls could greatly reduce particulate matter from these plants.

John Rogner to IDNR

2009-07-20T11:34:00.002-05:00

There's great news today for fans of Illinois' great outdoors - John Rogner, a career biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, has been named Assistant Director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

I've worked with John for many years, and he will be a tremendous asset to Marc Miller and Gov. Quinn as they go about rebuilding the IDNR. He is a scientist and career natural resources professional with a strong track record of building consensus for conservation among diverse stakeholders. For the past decade, he has chaired the Chicago Wilderness initiative, an award-winning effort to raise awareness and support for protecting the natural heritage of the greater Chicago region.

I expect that John will help strengthen the DNR in many important ways. He will reinvigorate relationships with federal agencies involved in protecting Illinois habitat, make it clear that science and professionalism are key principles, build trust with a wide range of DNR constituency groups, and bring state assistance and expertise to conservation projects in the Chicago region.

Congratulations to Gov. Quinn and Marc Miller for landing top talent here. The folks at IDNR who look after our forests, wetlands, prairies, and drinking water aren't out of the woods yet, as state budget pressures will likely make for hard choices for the foreseeable future. But John Rogner's appointment makes clear that there are better days ahead for the public servants who work there, and for all of us who benefit when they have the funding and direction to do their job well.

Quinn Signs Major Energy Savings Plan Into Law

2009-07-10T13:54:00.003-05:00

At an event on Chicago’s west side today, Governor Quinn signed SB 1918 into law, giving Illinois one of the strongest programs in the country to help homeowners and businesses cut their heating costs by reducing use of natural gas. The program was a top priority of Sierra Club and other environmental advocates in this spring’s session of the Illinois General Assembly, and will result in significant reductions in the air pollution that contributes to global warming.

Here's Governor Quinn on energy efficiency:

Illinois will now be at the head of the class when it comes to saving energy. This legislation is going to save us all $10 billion over the next decade, and make the air we breathe cleaner and healthier. Coupled with similar a program to cut electricity bills enacted in 2007, and with new requirements for renewable energy, Illinois is making a fast transition to the clean energy economy of the future.

SB 1918 requires Illinois natural gas utilities to reduce natural gas use 7% below today’s levels by 2020, and an additional 1.5% per year thereafter. The utilities are expected to meet this target with new programs, incentives, and assistance to help homeowners winterize their homes and upgrade to better gas appliances, and help businesses cut costs by reducing their natural gas consumption. Also included in the measure is a provision for “on-bill financing”, which will allow Illinois ratepayers to upgrade furnaces, boilers, and hot water heaters without any upfront cost. With on-bill financing, the customer pays for a more efficient appliance with a no-cost loan from their utility, which is paid off on their monthly bill with no increase - the energy savings are used to pay back the loan. When the loan is paid off, the utility bill is permanently lower.

According to an analysis by Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, the natural gas efficiency standards in the legislation will save Illinois ratepayers over $10 billion off utilities bills and reduce CO2 emissions by 53.27 million tons by 2030.

The new law is the product of negotiations spearheaded by the office of Attorney General Lisa Madigan, and including Illinois utilities, industries, consumer and senior citizen advocates, and environmental advocates. We applaud Attorney General Madigan’s leadership in forging consensus for these savings among many parties that don’t often agree. Thanks to her team, led by Senior Assistant Attorney General Susan Hedman, Illinois is now a leader in the kind of smart energy solutions that will benefit us all.

We can be especially proud that we have done all this while Congress debates what kind of energy efficiency programs to give the country. Hopefully this great new example gets some attention from those deciding America's energy future this summer.

SCOTUS Backs Sierra Club vs. IL Dirty Coal Plant

2009-06-29T12:07:00.004-05:00

Another big decision from Washington today in favor of a clean energy future:

U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Last-Ditch Effort to
Build Outdated Illinois Coal Plant

Washington, D.C.--In a victory for clean energy, the United States Supreme Court today refused to consider an appeal by EnviroPower, LLC. The company was attempting to build a coal plant in Southern Illinois using outdated plans that lacked modern pollution controls. Today's decision affirms earlier rulings by the federal courts on this proposed coal plant. It also reflects a broader national trend as states, businesses and cities reject dirty coal in favor of clean energy and the green jobs it brings.

In response, Bruce Nilles, Director of Sierra Club's Beyond Coal Campaign, issued the following statement: "EnviroPower has been pursuing its coal plant project for nearly a decade. The fact that the company tried to take this case all the way to the Supreme Court, losing at every step along the way, shows how desperate coal plant developers are these days. Today marks the end of the road for EnviroPower's outdated plans, but only the beginning for a clean energy economy. We have barely scratched the surface of energy efficiency and clean energy's potential to create jobs and boost the economy."

A copy of the Supreme Court's order regarding Franklin County Power, et
al. v. Sierra Club is available here.

Why Foster Voted No

2009-06-27T10:54:00.000-05:00

“As a scientist, I believe that climate change is real and that action is necessary. It is also crucial that we restructure our energy systems to increase efficiency and reduce our dependence on imported sources."

So why'd he vote no? Here's what he says.

Victory

2009-06-26T18:31:00.000-05:00

The U.S. House's approval of legislation making sweeping changes in America's energy policies is truly an historic action that brings our nation one giant step closer to a clean energy future that includes millions of new jobs, cleaner air for all of us to breathe, energy independence, and most importantly, a solution to the climate crisis that threatens our very way of life.

We salute the Illinois members of Congress who cast their vote today for economic recovery now, and for a cleaner, better world in the future. We will all benefit from these policies, but that did not make this an easy vote. The forces behind our old, dirty energy economy are very powerful, and the lobbying against these changes has been fierce. However, Representatives Bean, Davis, Guttierrez, Halvorson, Hare, Jackson, Kirk, Lipinski, Quigley, Rush, and Schakowsky stood up to the status quo today, and voted for big changes that will make Illinois a more prosperous, better place to live.

We also salute the leadership of President Obama and his administration in moving America toward a clean energy future. Obama and his team have set many powerful changes into motion to spur the transition to a clean energy economy, and his leadership was crucial to today's victor.

This legislation is a major leap forward for our country, but it is not perfect. We plan to work now with Senators Durbin and Burris to strengthen and pass the American Clean Energy Security Act, and get it to President Obama's desk for his signature in a form that maximizes the job creation and environmental benefits for all of us. There is much work ahead to do that, but tonight we celebrate a major victory for Illinois, our country, and our planet.

Rush, Quigley, Biggert speak on House floor on climate

2009-06-26T13:39:00.006-05:00

The House is currently debating the American Clean Energy Security Act, and IL reps are speaking up:

Quigley and Rush spoke in favor.

Quigley: "We’re often asked, ‘What’s our legacy here? What really matters about what we do?’ And I’d like to think it’s how our children and our grandchildren will react to what we did, and what we left behind."

Rush - "we were able to improve the bill by not only protecting low, moderate and middle income families from rising energy costs, but also providing real incentives for communities like the one I represent for new career pathways to move out of poverty and quality, career-oriented jobs in construction and related fields."

Judy Biggert tweeted about her opposition. She objects to energy efficient building codes for the country, even though the General Assembly just passed them for our whole state.

IL Delegation Could Be Decisive In Historic Climate Vote

2009-06-26T08:25:00.003-05:00

Take action here

Springfield Delivers Big Gains for Clean Energy

2009-06-11T23:12:00.003-05:00

While the severity of the state's financial crisis makes it difficult for anyone to call this year's legislative session a success, there were major advances for renewable energy and energy efficiency that make Illinois a national leader in energy innovation at a time when Congress and the Obama administration are considering similar changes for the country. As a result, Illinois is better positioned to attract and create good-paying green energy jobs, save ratepayers money, and reduce air pollution in our communities.

A top priority for environmental advocates this session was new requirements that our natural gas companies launch programs to help residents and businesses cut their gas usage and bills. SB 1918, now on Gov. Quinn's desk, requires gas companies to take steps to reduce statewide gas consumption 7% by 2020. They are expected to do this with incentives for upgrades to more efficient furnaces and boilers, weatherization assistance programs, and assistance to businesses to reduce wasted heat. Another innovation, "on-bill financing", will give you 0% financing on high-efficiency boilers, furnaces, and other appliances, allowing you to pay off the purchase with the savings on your gas bill. These programs are going to slash heating bills, create jobs in home weatherization, and make a dent in global warming pollution by reducing natural gas consumption. We established similar programs and targets for electric utilities in 2007, and our combined programs will be noticed in Washington, as first the House and then the Senate take up energy and global warming legislation. Credit for moving Illinois from the back of the pack to the head of the class in energy efficiency goes to a broad coalition of environmental advocates, consumer advocates and utilities who participated in negotiations, and especially the strong leadership of Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office, which forged agreement on truly bold new programs.

HB 3987 is another major advance. It replaces a confusing patchwork of local building codes with a uniform, statewide, state-of-the art energy-efficient building code. In the future, all new residential and commercial construction in Illinois will be built to the regularly updated standards of the International Energy Conservation Code. This will reduce energy waste for as long as these buildings are in use, provide certainty to the construction industry, and make significant reductions in energy use and pollution. SB 2150 makes minor adjustments to our new renewable energy requirements (our 25% renewable requirement by 2025 is far stronger than what is on the table right now in Congress, unfortunately), including jump-starting the solar power industry in Illinois.

While these new ways of thinking about energy are poised to become law with Governor Quinn's signatures, the legislature rejected attempts to maintain Illinois' historic focus on coal and nuclear options. The Illinois Chamber of Commerce made a major push for the so called "Energy to Jobs Act", but the package of coal and nuclear incentives looked very dated to many in the legislature, and was never a serious threat to pass.

It's hard not to draw parallels to the debate underway on Capitol Hill, where Reps. Waxman and Markey are preparing a plan to go in a bold new direction, while House Republicans, unfortunately, just rolled out a package of mostly old ideas that is very heavily slanted toward production against efficiency - always the cheapest, fastest, cleanest, most job-creating energy source.

Not long ago, Illinois was anything but a laboratory for innovations in energy policy - we were pretty much all-coal, all-nuclear, all the time when it came to energy. At least on one major issue, change apparently has come to Illinois, and we are rejecting the old ideas in favor of new. If Illinois, of all places, can shift its focus to the solutions of the future, surely Congress can do the same for America.

Quigley: "Nothing About Coal Is Clean"

2009-06-11T09:19:00.002-05:00

Great statement from Rep. Mike Quigley on the House floor about the promise of green jobs instead of dirty coal.

"Mister Speaker, nothing about coal is clean.

From extraction, to waste slurry, to stream contamination in Appalachia – nothing, I repeat, nothing about this energy source is clean.

In order to extract coal from the ground, mountains are literally blasted apart, killing wildlife and destroying forests, contributing to erosion, flooding, and pollution that hits local communities and causes severe health problems. Over 1,200 miles of streams in Appalachia alone have been buried or completely contaminated because of mountaintop mining.

In order to prepare the coal for burning, an overwhelming amount of water is needed to “clean” the coal. For every ton of coal cleaned 20 to 40 gallons of water are used to wash the coal, creating a sludgey pollutant known as slurry. Over 90 million gallons of slurry are created every year while harvesting and preparing coal for burning.

Keep in mind, we haven’t even begun to burn the stuff yet.

Green jobs are the key to economic and environmental progress in regions torn by surface and mountaintop mining and struggling economically due to the destruction of the land. These include jobs in wind, hydroelectric and bio-fuel power. These jobs will give hard-hit communities a long term future for their families, instead of a short term paycheck in exchange for their quality of life."

Marc Miller Confirmed At IDNR

2009-05-29T13:52:00.003-05:00

Congratulations to Marc Miller, who was finally confirmed today by the Senate as Director of the IDNR.

Marc is just the man for the big job of restoring the IDNR's integrity and ability to protect Illinois' great outdoors. Miller is a natural resource professional, an avid Illinois outdoorsman, and he has dedicated his career to protecting Illinois' rivers, lakes, streams, and other special places for current and future generations. He can unite the many constituents of the IDNR - hunters, hikers, anglers, birdwatchers and all of us who hope to pass on Illinois' natural heritage to future generations - to advocate for for adequate funding for the Department in these very troubled financial times.

Hopefully the IDNR budget will enjoy the same strong support in the next few days that his confirmation did today.

Illinois Voters Want Open Space in the Capital Bill

2009-05-27T14:30:00.004-05:00

Yesterday we released a new poll showing that 79% of Illinois voters support devoting $350 million to protecting open space in the capital bill being finalized this week. Here's State Rep. Karen May from the press conference-

A Green Capital Bill? - Not Yet

2009-05-26T16:15:00.001-05:00

Legislators are understandably celebrating the passage of a major state capital spending bill last week (although no dollars get raised or spent until Gov. Quinn signs the bill, which appears linked to closing the gaping hole in the state's operating budget).

The capital spending bill approved by the General Assembly makes some significant new investments in the environment, but it falls short, in several crucial areas, of being the "green capital bill" that Governor Quinn has repeatedly called for, and that both the House and Senate have expressed unanimous support for earlier this Spring. This week is a great opportunity to make it a capital plan that not only creates good jobs today, but makes Illinois a cleaner, greener, healthier place to live now and for future generations.

Last week the legislature sent Gov. Quinn a bill raising a series of taxes and fees sufficient to fund $12 billion in public works projects, but so far has only appropriated $10.44 billion. On the agenda for this week in Springfield is spending the remaining $1.55 billion (in addition to closing the gaping hole in the operating budget, ethics reform, and myriad other topics.)

There are two crucial areas that are ignored in the spending plan approved last week that should be a top priority when deciding how to spend the remaining $1.55 billion. The first is open space land acquisition. As passed last week, this would be the first capital plan in decades to ignore conservation. Illinois FIRST, the last major capital plan, passed in 1999, provided $200 million in funds for IDNR to expand our parks and recreation areas, and matching grants to local governments. Build Illinois before that, during the Thompson years, also made substantial funding available to expand and improve our park system. IDNR estimates that at least $2 billion is needed to protect lands for conservation and recreation. By funding the Illinois Open Land Trust with $200 million, the General Assembly can make sure this capital bill, like those before it, will pay dividends for many generations of future Illinoisans.

A second major opportunity is high-speed rail. Governor Quinn has called for $400 million for bringing high-speed trains to Illinois. These funds would match federal stimulus funds, and finally bring modern rail travel to Illinois, giving travellers fast, reliable, low-carbon options for getting around our state and the midwest.

The capital bill passed last week did not entirely ignore the environment. The bill funds transit and conventional Amtrak trains at a much more favorable ratio to road construction than ever before. It does provide $110 million for clean water projects, $75 million to clean up leaking underground storage tanks, $30 million for brownfields redevelopment, $45 million for Illinois River projects. These are critical needs, but are not a major priority in a $12 billion overall program.

Depending on how it's done, the infrastructure spending in the bill could advance Illinois' energy and environmental goals. There will be a lot of roads and buildings built or rebuilt with these dollars, and we would all be better served if all of these projects are done in a way to maximize energy efficiency and minimize air and water pollution. We can guarantee these benefits if green construction requirements are included in the fine print.

Gov. Quinn and the General Assembly have a chance to fix that this week by investing in the future. We should expect no less with our tax dollars.

Quinn Pushes for High Speed Rail

2009-05-22T11:58:00.002-05:00

This morning I spoke at a press conference with Governor Quinn, a large bipartisan group of legislators, organized labor, and train advocates calling for funding high-speed rail in Illinois in the capital bill. Looks like there is a good chance to get $400 million in state capital funding to help match federal stimulus dollars to finally bring fast, modern, efficient trains to Illinois.

Quinn's release is here.

Illinois to Finally Get Clean Cars - From Obama

2009-05-19T09:51:00.012-05:00

Well it looks like the next car you buy (starting in 2011) will be a lot cleaner, and save you big bucks at the pump. That's what the Illinois Clean Car Act (HB 422/SB 1941) would do, but today the big win for your wallet and the planet comes from Washington, not Springfield (although Illinois certainly played a role in today's historic announcement.)

President Obama announced historic new CAFE and tailpipe standards to reducing oil consumption by an estimated 1.8 billion barrels and cut global warming pollution 30% by 2016 with cleaner, more efficient cars and trucks.

People use the word "historic" a lot, but this is one time where it fits. Presidents going back to Nixon have talked about major changes in fuel economy, but none have ultimately been willing or able to reform Detroit. The paralysis in DC on most energy issues, but especially fuel economy, led California, and now 14 other states, to go their own way with tougher standards for the pollution that causes asthma attacks and global warming.

If Springfield had passed the Illinois Clean Car Act, we would have been next. That would have meant over half the national car market, and a big state right in the middle of the distribution chain, had gone "clean". Would Detroit have stubbornly continued to make a dirty version of every car, as they do now? Most thought not, especially with Minnesota and North Carolina also looking at going clean.

So the sponsors of the Illinois Clean Car Act played a key role, led by Karen May (D-Highland Park), but joined by many, including House Speaker Michael Madigan and 31 others, including brave Republicans Mike Fortner (West Chicago), Sandra Pihos (Glen Ellyn), and Beth Coulson (Glenview). While most of the debate on the bill was in the House, Senate Sponsors Terry Link (D-Waukegan) and Jacqueline Collins (D-Chicago) kept the discussion alive in that chamber.

The Illinois Climate Action Network joined the environmental community with faith organizations, local governments, public health advocates, organized labor, students, and other clean car supporters. Thousands of Illinoisans showed support with town hall meetings, "clean car washes", lobby days, district visits, and other contacts with their legislators. A May 2008 poll found that 90% of Illinois voters supported the legislation.

Clearly change was on the way, and ultimately Detroit decided to stop fighting here in Illinois and elsewhere, and finally agree to build the kind of cleaner, more affordable cars that Americans clearly want to buy. There are a few details to be worked out, and we need to voice strong support for Obama's plan so it is finalized by the federal agencies, but we are almost there.

Change comes in many ways. Sometimes Illinois is way out front, like when we passed our 25% by 2025 renewable energy requirement in 2007, that Congress will hopefully finally echo for the country this year. In this case, we also did our part, but President Obama beat us to it, and we are all grateful and better off for it.

Score One For the Babies!

2009-05-13T14:45:00.003-05:00

Nice work by Alds. Manny Flores & Ed Burke, and by Environment Illinois and Illinois PIRG, on Chicago's new ordinance banning BPA in childrens' products. Very nice to see Chicago leading the nation here. Too bad the Illinois House wasn't part of the solution when the bill came up there last month. How did your State Rep vote? You'll have to ask him or her (and you should!) - the vote was pulled from the official record.

From Environment Illinois:

CHICAGO, IL–Chicago City Council today unanimously passed the nation’s first municipal ordinance to protect children’s health by eliminating the toxic chemical bisphenol-A (BPA) from baby bottles and toddler’s sippy cups sold in Chicago.

"We applaud Aldermen Ed Burke and Manny Flores for sponsoring this crucial legislation. With Mother’s Day last Sunday, they’ve given the perfect gift to mothers and the tens-of-thousands of Chicago babies born each year," said Max Muller, program director at Environment Illinois. "The chemical companies that profit from BPA have lobbied furiously to kill these bills, but protecting children from harm prevailed in Chicago."

"Parents shouldn’t have to be chemists to know what’s safe," said Brian Imus, state director of Illinois Public Interest Research Group. "This is the only appropriate response to evidence that a known toxic chemical is leaching from baby products."

Although BPA is a synthetic sex hormone that mimics estrogen, it is used in the epoxy lining of most food cans and hard clear plastic containers, including baby bottles and most toddler’s sippy cups. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that children have the highest levels of BPA, followed by teens and then adults.

Hundreds of studies link low-dose BPA exposure to early onset puberty, hyperactivity, ADHD, cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, liver enzyme abnormalities, and breast and prostate cancers.

"I am hopeful that by passing this legislation in Chicago, we can begin a nationwide movement that will inspire other municipal and state jurisdictions to eliminate BPA from food containers in their communities," said Alderman Flores.

Aldermen Burke and Flores are among a growing number of policy makers frustrated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) slow response to evidence of BPA’s harms. In October 2008, Canada confirmed that it is banning BPA from baby bottles. In the United States, BPA bans are pending in Congress and at least a dozen state legislatures. The Chicago ordinance mirrors a pending Illinois bill which is sponsored by Illinois State Representative Elaine Nekritz and State Senator Dan Kotowski.

But so far, only Minnesota (as of last Friday) and Suffolk County, New York have enacted similar bans.

The FDA has said that BPA is safe, but the agency’s position came under attack when it was learned that the only studies FDA considered were funded by the American Chemistry Council, the chemical industry’s trade group, and by firms whose clients include BPA manufacturers. The FDA’s own science advisory board criticized the agency’s finding, noting that "the Margins of Safety defined by FDA as 'adequate' are, in fact, not adequate."

"The body of evidence that documents harmful effects of BPA at low doses—doses very similar to what is found in humans—is very compelling when examined as a whole," said Dr. Gail Prins, a physiology professor and BPA researcher who has studied Bisphenol A's effects on the prostate, including its links to prostate cancer. "To ignore this scientific data any longer will be seen as negligence."

On March 12, 2009, Sunoco, one of five BPA makers, wrote that the company now refuses to sell BPA for use in children’s food containers because Sunoco cannot be certain of the compound’s safety.

In February 2008, Environment Illinois, along with public health and environmental groups in nine states, released the report Baby’s Toxic Bottle, which found that baby bottles leached significant amounts of BPA when subjected to tests designed to simulate repeated washings. Attorneys General in Connecticut, Delaware, and New Jersey joined the groups in calling for baby bottle manufacturers to go BPA-free, and in March 2009, six baby bottle manufacturers announced a phase-out of BPA from the bottles they sell in the United States.

The BPA-Free Kids Act will protect children’s health by ensuring that all baby bottles and sippy cups sold in Chicago are BPA-free. It would also require retailers to post signs notifying parents that these products are BPA-free.

Capitol To Be 100% Wind Powered

2009-05-06T15:10:00.002-05:00

Some might say our Illinois’ state capitol has long been powered by wind and hot air. But from now on, thanks to Springfield’s City Water, Light, and Power and Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, Illinois’ capitol will now be powered by 100% pollution-free wind energy.

Sierra Club worked with CWLP to come up with a smart solution to Springfield’s energy needs that includes major new wind power investments, new energy conservation programs, and replacing a dirty old coal-fired plant. As CWLP’s largest customer, the State’s purchase of wind energy is a key part of Springfield’s clean energy plan. The State is buying 60 megawatts of CWLP’s overall purchase of 120 megawatts of wind power.

Who knows, maybe the wind energy flowing through the Capitol will really bring new energy to our politics....we can only hope!

Happy Earth Day

2009-04-21T22:06:00.001-05:00

Wednesday marks the 40th Earth Day, and volunteers with the Sierra Club, Illinois Chapter, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, are marking the occasion at with park cleanups, habitat restoration projects, and public education events around the state. All the events are open to the public.

This Earth Day we are celebrating the big difference that each of us can make for the planet. We face big problems, but we also have made big progress in 50 years of protecting the Prairie State. Sierra Club invites anyone with a couple hours to spare this week to join us as we get our hands dirty to make Illinois just a little cleaner and greener.

The list of Illinois projects includes:

SATURDAY, APRIL 25TH
BARRINGTON HILLS - 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Event: Earth Day Celebration at Spring Creek - Ecological Restoration of Woodlands and Prairies
Spring Creek is an ecologically diverse, large forest preserve that offers native plants and animals a protected oasis of 3,900 acres of land where they can nest, reproduce and live. We are working to restore this land as quickly as possible. The more volunteer hands we have, the more area will get cleared. Whole Foods will be providing lunch. Guest Speakers and Educational Tours of the Area. No need to RSVP, just bring your spring clearing spirit and wear gloves, long pants, work shoes, bug and tick repellent. We supply the rest.
Location: Barrington Hills, north of I-90 on Rt. 72 (W. Higgins Rd.) 1 mile west of Rt. 59 Turn north on Wichman Road to the Headwaters parking lot
Contact for More Information: Donna Hriljac 847-967-7835 or email misky272000@yahoo.com

ELGIN - 9 A.M. - 5 P.M.
Event: Exhibiting at the Elgin ECCO
Bringing families and businesses in the community together to become better educated on the effects of global warming and to make us a more sustainable community. Find out how our Midwest neighbors, community non-profits and city departments are working together to make our cities healthier places to live, work and play.
Location: Elgin Community College Fox Valley University and Business Center Building
1700 Spartan Drive ~ Elgin, Illinois 60123

AURORA - 11 A.M.
Event: Annual Earthday Celebration and Big Woods Forest Preserve Cleanup
Big Woods Forest Preserve is a neglected preserve and struggling to stay healthy, as it has been bookended with urban sprawl and the wetlands and prairies are filthy with plastic bags, garbage, and styrofoam. Lunch provided after the cleanup.
Location: Meet at 2651 Prairieview Lane South, Aurora
Contact: Terri at 630-585-9212

PEORIA - 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Event: Display and tabling at the Forest Park Nature Center Earth Day Festival.
The Dirty Truth about Coal" photos of mining impacts, handouts of health impacts and environmental costs of using coal.
Location: 5809 Forest Park Drive, Peoria, 61614
Contact for More Information: John Wosik, 309-243-2230

SUNDAY, APRIL 26TH
SPRINGFIELD - 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm
Event: Green Jobs Sunday - Earth Week Film Fest Double Feature
Location: Hoogland Center for the Arts, 420 South Sixth in Springfield
Contact for More Information: Will Reynolds - willinois@gmail.com

MONDAY, APRIL 27
CHAMPAIGN - 7:00 pm
Event: Geen Business Earth Day Forum
Presenting business owners discussing how they are incorporating environmentally sound practices into their business, including: The local Coca Cola Bottling Co, Ippatsu Hair Salon, McKinley Presbyterian Church (Presby Hall LEED certified building), Prairie Rain Harvester's Austin Grammer (sells rain barrels, compost tumblers and other green garden products), and B. Lime, a new green store in downtown Champaign
Location: Champaign Public Library

MAY 2 & 3
CARBONDALE
Event:Shawnee Energy Fest
Over 30 workshops on Energy Conservation, Renewable energy, permaculture, organic gardening, living off the grid, geothermal systems, local food panel, greening the city panel, kids activities, bands, food, and more!
Location: Green Retreat - 3 miles west of Carbondale on Chautauqua Rd. & Rt. 127
Contact for More Information: Barb McKasson at babitaji@aol.com

SATURDAY, MAY 30TH
SPRINGFIELD - 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Event: Earth Awareness Fair and GreenFest
Location: Prairie Capital Convention Center, One Convention Center Plaza in Springfield
Contact for More Information: Wynne Coplea at Wynne.Coplea@cwlp.com

More details, including directions to many sites, are available at http://illinois.sierraclub.org. Each site will feature excellent visuals of Sierra Club volunteers working at these sites. Advance interviews may be possible at some of the sites.

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark!

2009-03-27T16:09:00.002-05:00

Earth Hour is Saturday night from 8:30-9:30pm.

Last year the Chicagoland region reported an electricity savings of 7 percent - the carbon emissions equivalent of taking 1 million cars off the road for one hour or planting 158 acres of trees.

Lights out Illinois!

Quinn Reopens Parks

2009-02-26T14:35:00.000-06:00

Spring is just around the corner, and now Illinois residents and visitors can count on being able to experience the great outdoors in all of Illinois' state parks. Today Illinois Governor Pat Quinn made good on a pledge to reopen seven state parks that were closed November 30th, 2008 under Rod Blagojevich.

“This is a great day for the people of Illinois. State parks protect some of our most precious habitat and provide opportunities for families to find outdoor recreation close to home. These are the people’s parks and the people have the right to enjoy them in good and bad economic times,” said Governor Quinn. “The value of these open spaces is immeasurable to children, families and local communities that depend on these parks for crucial economic stability.”

Governor Quinn is off to a strong start rebuilding the agency we count on to protect our water supply, our wildlife, and our state parks. He has already appointed a dedicated conservationist in Marc Miller to lead the IDNR, and now has reversed the most recent cuts made by Rod Blagojevich. We know that it will take time to rebuild the IDNR to its past strength, but clearly Governor Quinn has made it a priority to do so. Sierra Club is ready to work with Gov. Quinn, Director Miller, and all of IDNR's diverse constituencies to restore the IDNR's capacity to protect Illinois' special places, safeguard our water supplies, and provide safe, quality outdoor recreation opportunities.

The seven parks affected by today's announcement are: Castle Rock State Park and Lowden State Park in Oregon, Illini State Park in Marseilles, Hidden Springs State Forest in Strasburg, Moraine View State Park in Leroy, Weldon Springs State Park in Clinton, and Wolf Creek State Park in Windsor.

Employee Free Choice & The Environment

2009-02-18T11:35:00.004-06:00

Last night I had the honor of sharing the stage with some of Chicago and America's strongest champions for working families - Congressman Danny Davis, national AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, Laborers' International Union of North America President Terence O'Sullivan, Anna Burger, who heads the Change to Win labor coalition, and Dennis Gannon, head of the Chicago Federation of Labor. We came together, with other faith and public interest leaders, to rally support for the Employee Free Choice Act.

Sierra Club strongly supports the Employee Free Choice Act and we are proud to stand strong with our brothers and sisters in organized labor and work to get the Employee Free Choice Act to President Obama’s desk.

Now some might ask - what does the right to organize have to do with clean air and clean water?

We know that workers are our first line of defense against toxic pollution, chemical spills, and other accidents that can devastate communities.

We know that union workers are more qualified and better trained to deal the health and safety risks of hazardous chemicals.

We know that union workers have greater protections if they blow the whistle on hazards and accidents in the workplace. Union workers have support and protection, and won’t fear for their job if they call attention to a dangerous problem.

We want to work together with our allies in labor to create good, high paying jobs in the new clean energy economy. But we also need to make sure those green jobs are good jobs. Protecting workers’ most basic rights, including the right to choose how and when to form a union, is an essential part of building a clean energy economy that lifts up all workers and saves the planet for future generations.

That’s why Sierra Club calls on Senator Burris, and all of our members of Congress to do the right thing for workers and the environment, and pass the Employee Free Choice Act NOW!

A New Day at IDNR

2009-02-05T15:00:00.001-06:00

It was great to see Illinois Governor Pat Quinn take early and decisive action today to begin to rebuild the Illinois Department of Natural Resources by appointing an outstanding new Director, Marc Miller. Everyone who loves the Illinois outdoors can take heart today that Gov. Quinn recognizes the critical importance of the work done by DNR, and will work to restore the former strength of the Department.

Governor Quinn's appointment of Marc Miller to head the Illinois Department of Natural Resources is very strong first step to rebuilding Illinois' ability to protect Illinois' wildlife, water, and special places, and to offer high quality outdoor recreation experiences to Illinois residents and visitors. The IDNR has suffered greatly from budget cuts, layoffs, loss of talented career staff, political hiring and firing, and low staff morale.

Marc Miller is just the man for the big job of restoring the IDNR's integrity and ability to protect Illinois' great outdoors. Miller is a natural resource professional, an avid Illinois outdoorsman, and he has dedicated his career to protecting Illinois' rivers, lakes, streams, and other special places for current and future generations. He can unite the many constituents of the IDNR - hunters, hikers, anglers, birdwatchers and all of us who hope to pass on Illinois' natural heritage to future generations - to advocate for for adequate funding for the Department in these very troubled financial times.

By making the IDNR Director his first Agency appointment, in his first week as Governor, Quinn is sending a powerful signal that the mission of the DNR to protect our natural resources is critical to our well-being and our economy. Especially in the state's current fiscal crisis, we know that rebuilding the IDNR will take time, but today Pat Quinn made clear it is a priority. Sierra Club is ready to work with Gov. Quinn, Director Miller, and all of IDNR's diverse constituencies to restore the IDNR's capacity to protect Illinois' special places, safeguard our water supplies, and provide safe, quality outdoor recreation opportunities.

Quinn Can Lead to a Cleaner Future

2009-01-31T12:02:00.001-06:00

IIllinois Governor Pat Quinn takes office with more knowledge and experience dealing with the energy, environmental, and conservation challenges facing our state than any new governor in Illinois history. As Lieutenant Governor, he pushed the boundaries of his job description to become Illinois' most visible environmental advocate, championing major upgrades to the policies protecting our drinking water, our public lands, our energy policies, and many more.

As Quinn said after taking the oath of office, "I'm an organizer. Early to bed, early to rise, organize, organize, organize". This inclination to action has attracted him to many good fights on behalf of the people versus the powerful. By lending the power of his office, his good name, and his knack for attracting public attention to causes that might otherwise go unnoticed, he has made a critical difference in many campaigns for a cleaner and greener Illinois. When developers wanted to cash in by building condos on prime bald eagle habitat on an island in the Illinois River, Quinn led an effort to save Plum Island, and it is now forever protected. He sided with Sierra Club and local officials against Gov. Blagojevich's IDNR to stop a coal mine in an Illinois River wetland connected to Banner Marsh, a major state wildlife area. He championed homeowners in DuPage County who were not notified that their drinking water was contaminated by leaking toxic waste, and worked to change our laws to require notification and give Illinois EPA more authority to crack down on polluters.

Now Quinn takes over the Governor's office in the midst of simultaneous crises of corruption, fiscal collapse, and a shrinking economy. He could be forgiven for momentarily forgetting his populist roots as he suddenly inherits such immense problems and responsibility, but his first hours indicated, if anything, a renewed commitment to change. In his first evening as Governor, Quinn spoke to the need for a major new capital spending program to have sustainability as a fundamental principle, including smart, clean energy as a priority. He said he would reopen closed state parks, and would appoint a natural resource professional to run the troubled Department of Natural Resources.

The problems he faces are big, and the competition for his attention will be intense, but Quinn can get off to a fast start making Illinois a leader in the new green economy. While corruption has dominated the headlines, environmental advocates have made big changes in recent years. New energy laws will require 25% of Illinois' electricity to come from wind and other renewable sources by 2025, and Ameren and ComEd are beginning major new programs to help homeowners and businesses save energy this year. We are moving to protect our rivers and lakes from phosphorus pollution from sewage plants and lawn runoff, and this year Illinois coal plants will install cutting edge technology to eliminate 90% of mercury pollution from their smokestacks.

However, big questions about our future face Quinn, the new General Assembly, and all of us. Will Illinois help Obama lead the country and the world to global warming solutions by becoming a clean car state, and setting state limits on greenhouse gas emissions? Will we focus new federal and state capital investments on transportation and energy projects that put people to work giving us cleaner air and healthier communities? Can we protect Illinois' remaining wetlands, prairies, and forests for future generations? How will we make sure a growing population and economy has access to clean, safe drinking water? How can we rebuild the Illinois DNR in the midst of a state fiscal crisis?

Fortunately, Quinn will have a lot of allies in tackling these questions. Changes in the Senate leadership have put John Cullerton and Christine Radogno, both longtime environmental champions, in charge of the Democratic and Republican caucuses, respectively. In the House, the 2008 elections were bad news for some who resisted change, and good news for a new class of leaders who have clean energy high on their list of priorities. In both the House and Senate, Quinn will find new allies for change, even among longtime veterans who will now see the writing on the wall. He can work with Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who has been a vigilant enforcer of our environmental laws, and who helped stem the Bush Administration's attacks on our environmental laws with regular legal challenges. State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias has come up with creative ways to put the power of the state's purse to work protecting the planet. Old divides between interest groups are melting, and new alliances forming, as the very broad appeal of change becomes clear. Businesses see the imperative of energy efficiency in cutting costs. Organized labor recognizes the tremendous employment potential of smart energy solutions. Hunters and anglers are teaming with birders and hikers to demand effective protection of Illinois' outdoors. Faith congregations recognize solving the climate crisis as a moral imperative. Mayors and other local government officials, from Waukegan to Chicago to Rock Island to Carbondale, have made commitments to reduce greenhouse gases locally and are poised to help craft state solutions.

Many members of Illinois' political establishment have, in the past, snickered at Quinn. Constantly picking the people over the powerful has not exactly been the golden rule of Illinois politics. But now, change is not just in vogue, it is in demand. The people of Illinois demand clean government, and they are beyond hungry for leadership they can trust to deliver a smart energy future, and to be a good steward of our air, water, and natural resources. Pat Quinn has what it takes to be that leader, but he will need help. The General Assembly must also embrace change, and each of us must hold all of our elected officials to a new, higher standard. Let's change Illinois from the capitol of "pay to play" to a laboratory of fresh, new ideas that will revitalize our economy, give us a all a cleaner, healthier place to live, and give America real examples of the change we need.

Obama Clean Car Push Clears Way for Illinois Clean Car Act

2009-01-26T11:01:00.000-06:00

President Obama's action today to direct USEPA to consider allowing stricter state automobile emissions standards is the change we need to save money at the gas pump, retool our auto industry to make better, more efficient cars, and cut air pollution.

Last year the Illinois General Assembly debated the Illinois Clean Car Act, sponsored by State Rep. Karen May (D-Highland Park) and State Sen. Terry Link (D-Waukegan), but opposition to stronger state standards from the Bush Administration was a roadblock to the gas savings and cleaner air the Act would bring to Illinois.

President Obama made clear today that his administration will work with states like Illinois that want cleaner cars, not against them. The General Assembly should seize this opportunity to join the growing number of clean car states, and embrace President Obama's vision of cleaner cars the help us end our dependence on foreign oil.

You can read the President's remarks here.

Happy New Year, Indeed!

2008-12-30T22:29:00.003-06:00

While the headlines of the day may make Illinois' political landscape seem hopelessly mired in scandal and legal uncertainty, and make saving the planet seem far from the Springfield agenda; we are closer than you may realize to major transformational change coming from, of all places, our state capitol, on the big issues facing our state and our civilization.

That's why, looking at the big picture, I am very excited about the prospect for real change in 2009 and beyond.

As environmentalists who have worked with Barack Obama for over a decade on clean energy and environmental health issues, we are especially proud and excited to see an Illinois environmental champion putting energy and environmental protection at the center of his agenda for America. We know first-hand, from our work with him over the years in Springfield and as our U.S. Senator, his commitment to a better environment is real, and that change is coming for our country and our planet.

We had other big victories at the ballot box in 2008 that will help change Illinois politics for the greener. Sierra Club helped elect a new class of state legislators, Democrats and Republicans, who are committed to solving global warming, protecting our water, and rebuilding the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Change has come to America, and we are bringing it to Springfield as well.

While we are working hard to usher in a new era of solutions, we also are working hard to end the era of old, dirty energy. We won a big victory to stop a new dirty coal plant proposed for Franklin County. We are teaming up with local farmers to fight the ravaging impacts of longwall mining in southern and western Illinois.

We are building new partnerships for solutions with unusual allies. To help solve global warming, we are teaming up with faith groups like the American Jewish Committee, Protestants for the Common Good, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. We are nurturing future environmental leaders through work with the Boys and Girls Clubs Of Chicago, and by hosting youth fishing derbies. To rebuild the Illinois Department of Natural Resources after years of cuts and neglect, we work with sportsmen partners like Ducks Unlimited and Pheasants Forever. We are building broad support for a green economy by joining with labor and workforce advocates in the Chicagoland Green Collar Jobs Initiative. We work with over 30 Illinois Cool Cities, whose mayors have pledged local efforts to save energy and combat climate change.

The work we have done together in 2008 gives us much to celebrate, but we also plan for a very ambitious 2009, when we will need all of our new strength and then some to make the most of the historic opportunities that lie ahead.

We are gearing up to make sure that Illinois’ members of Congress will be part of the solution as we change America’s energy, pollution, and conservation policies for the better.

Springfield is in a state of crisis this holiday season, but we are planning for big new opportunities once the current scandals are resolved, and the public’s demand for change is heard in out state capitol. We are ready to reverse cuts to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, to make Illinois a clean car state, and to move ahead with new programs to cut global warming pollution. Current headlines make us wonder if Illinois politics is broken forever, but we believe brighter days are ahead, and we want to be ready to make sure the environment is a big winner in the new political landscape that must surely follow these chaotic days.

Anything is possible, and with your support and engagement, we are dreaming big.

Happy New Year indeed!

Party for Change SUNDAY!

2008-10-17T10:39:00.003-05:00

This election is about change, and Sierra Club Illinois PAC is working to make sure that that includes change for the better in Springfield.

This Sunday night we are throwing a party to help support these efforts, and you're invited. Kingston Mines is a legend on the Chicago blues scene, and Linsey Alexander & the L.A.B.B. will be providing the groove. $40 gets you the show and a soul food buffet.

Kingston Mines is non-smoking and family friendly! Kids love it!

4th Annual Blues & Greens
Party for Sierra Club Illinois PAC
Sunday, October 19, 2008. 5 pm till 8 pm.
Kingston Mines Blues Club • 2548 N. Halsted • Chicago

Tickets: $40 each, includes soul food buffet, cash bar
No smoking, children welcome!

Contact Jennifer Hensley to reserve your ticket today (312) 251-1680x3, or jennifer.hensley@sierraclub.org

Hope for the IDNR

2008-09-10T15:09:00.002-05:00

Today legislators in the House and Senate began a campaign to keep our state parks open, and avoid the layoffs of IDNR staff looking out for our natural resources.

State Rep. Naomi Jakobsson (D-Champaign-Urbana) and State Sen. Linda Holmes announced bills in both the House (HB 6698) and Senate (SB 3057) to restore the cuts made by the Governor in July.

Jakobsson and other sponsors of the House legislation held a press conference in Springfield today to call for the cuts to be restored, and Holmes issued a statement:

“The budget cuts would result in drastic reductions at IDNR, and close parks and historic sites that are economic engines for local communities," said Holmes. "The IDNR staff who work every day to protect our drinking water, wildlife, and provide safe outdoor recreation opportunities are too important to be on the chopping block because of political fighting in Springfield.”

The cuts also threaten funding for an effort to plan and secure future drinking water supplies for the entire state, particularly the fast-growing northeastern Illinois region.

"Protecting enough clean water is a major challenge for our fast- growing communities, and these cuts threaten to halt those efforts before we have a plan for the future," said Holmes. "Our local governments and citizens have been working hard on the Regional Water Supply Study, and to stop now would jeopardize reliable drinking water for future generations.”

The House Democrats have introduced a third proposal that would restore enough funding to prevent park closures and layoffs, but not replace all the Department's funding. That is expected to be heard today or tomorrow. The Senate has not yet scheduled any session days prior to the cuts taking effect November 1st.

We're a long way from saving these jobs and parks, but at least it's a start. Hopefully their leaders and colleagues will follow the lead of Jakobsson and Holmes, and save IDNR from the chopping block. The clock is ticking.

The Ax Falls on the IDNR

2008-08-29T10:05:00.002-05:00

Illinois Democrats may be hugging out in Denver, but back home on Thursday 39 IDNR employees were notified that they'll be out of a job November 1st as a result of budget cuts announced by Governor Blagojevich in July.

Eleven state parks and fifteen state historic sites will close. The state parks that will close November 1st are:

* Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park
* Illini State Park near Marseilles
* Wolf Creek State Park
* Castle Rock State Park, Oregon
* Lowden State Park, Oregon
* Hidden Springs State Forest, Strasburg
* Channahon Parkway State Park, Channahon
* Gebhard Woods State Park, Morris
* Kickapoo State Park, Oakwood
* Moraine View State Park, Leroy
* Weldon Springs State Park, Clinton

These layoffs and closings would be totally unnecessary if our leaders in Springfield would get together on a budget solution. There is still time - but the Governor's action Thursday started the clock ticking.

We need the General Assembly and the Governor to act before the end of September to restore the cuts, keep these parks open, and keep those who run them and look out for our natural resources on the job.

Denver's Green Streak

2008-08-28T15:22:00.001-05:00

I am out in Denver for the convention this week, and am just amazed at the level of discussion around energy and environmental issues. At times it has felt more like a clean energy conference with politics in the background.

This is not just a steady, incremental increase in focus compared to past conventions - energy policy is now squarely at the center of the debate over America's future. The combination of global warming, energy prices, national security concerns, and, increasingly, the potential for green job creation has changed the public debate with lightning speed.

I've been at a whole host of discussions, receptions, panels, etc on aspects of the energy and environmental debate, with corporate leaders, environmental advocates, elected officials, labor leaders, and others. Many politicians are making energy the focus of their speeches (wasn't Gov. Schweizer (MT) great on Tuesday night?), and it is rare that a speech on any topic doesn't include a call to solve global warming and create green jobs.

Don't get me wrong - the status quo is certainly out in force. The coal industry is visible from the moment you step off the plane at the airport to ubiquitous paid people on the street passing out "clean coal" propoganda. The Illinois delegation goodie bag included a foam lump of "coal", a nice souvenir for the kids. However, elected officials here are generally on message that solutions lie in the future, not in the past. Solar, wind, and conservation are the applause-getters in speeches. As Illinoisans, we can all be proud that we have already passed some of the solutions leaders are talking about for America - like our 25% renewable energy requirement by 2025, or our major new energy efficiency programs that ComEd are preparing to roll out in response to 2007's clean energy law.

So tonight, there are lots of reasons to be proud to be from Illinois - let's keep it up!

IDNR On The Chopping Block

2008-07-23T23:37:00.000-05:00

OK, we get it. The state's finances are about as solid as the "quaking bog" at Volo Bog State Natural Area. There seem to be as many bones of contention and disagreements between legislative leaders and the Governor as grains of sand at Illinois Beach State Park.

However, I think all of our leaders would tell you that the cuts to the Department of Natural Resources' budget that take effect Thursday are undesirable and unnecessary. And yet, while our state parks were full of people this week enjoying the great outdoors, mostly unaware of the looming threat to their ability to have that experience, our state capitol was empty of the leadership needed to solve the problem. The cuts that will devastate the IDNR go into effect without any last-minute drama or frantic attempts to reverse them by any of the leaders who could do so.

That, campers, is the sad state of affairs in our state capitol.

Oh, there are a lot of people working hard to reverse the cuts. Sierra Club and our allies in the Partners for Parks and Wildlife coalition held events at parks across the state Tuesday. We were joined by a remarkably diverse group of local elected officials, economic development advocates, outdoor recreation groups, educators, and more, all motivated on very short notice by the prospect of the unthinkable: an Illinois DNR, already strained by staff reductions going back to 2001, facing massive layoffs and the probability of park closures, environmental protection programs eliminated or scaled even further back, and recreation and education opportunities eliminated. We are looking at the sudden termination of a project to ensure adequate drinking water supplies downstate and in Chicago's suburbs, of efforts to make sure we don't put people and property at increased flood risk by regulating floodplain development, and letting go the scientists who we count on to protect the Prairie State's natural heritage for future generations.

The participation in these events was very strong, the media coverage widespread - see some of it below. Will it make a difference?

It's not too late. Yes, Governor Blagojevich's cuts take effect Thursday, but the pink slips don't have to go out right away to the people protecting our water, wildlife, and natural heritage. The Governor can keep the Department running at current levels, and commit to passing a supplemental appropriations bill to restore funding to pre-cut levels. The members and leaders of the Illinois General Assembly can agree to pass such a bill at their earliest opportunity.

Now that would take actually talking to each other, and leading. I think we all hope that that's still possible. If not, the damage will not be temporary - it will take a decade or more to recover from.

Here's some of the press coverage of the situation:

Our View: Pummeling Illinois' park system - Peoria, IL - pjstar.com

Groups lobby to restore DNR funds
http://www.commercial-news.com/homepage/local_story_205105239.html?keyword=leadpicturestory

Nature groups urge governor to hold off on budget cuts
http://www.sj-r.com/news/x1768851878/Nature-groups-urge-governor-to-hold-off-on-budget-cuts

Park advocates want state money restored
http://www.bnd.com/breaking_news/story/405908.html

DNR and Budget Cuts
http://wuis.streamguys.net/playlist.asp?player=asx&file=/news/DNR-2.mp3

Park advocates want state money restored
http://www.wandtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=8716228

Blagojevich administration mum on effects of budget cuts
http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2008/07/22/news/doc48863e4fb7014882883376.txt

States could close parks
http://www.hoinews.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=163166

Parks feel budget cuts
http://www.pjstar.com/news/x1816443340/Parks-feel-budget-cuts

STATE BUDGET CUTS HURT STATE PARKS
http://www.week.com/news/local/25778349.html

Parks Losing Conservation Officers
http://centralillinoisproud.com/content/fulltext/?cid=13711

Nature a loser in budget cuts, advocates say
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=222706&src=3

State's natural resource agency itself is endangered, conservationists say
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-dnr-cutsjul23,0,1286684.story

State's DNR cuts could be 'devastating'
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/newssun/news/1069384,5_1_WA23_DNRCUTS_S1.article

Critics pan governor's IDNR budget cuts
http://www.thetelegraph.com/news/budget_16422___article.html/cuts_state.html

Environmentalists ask for public support in fighting budget cuts for state parks
http://www.bnd.com/news/local/story/406741.html

Budget Cuts Put State Parks at Risk
http://www.wsiltv.com/p/news_details.php?newsID=5282&type=top

Protesters: Save state parks
http://www.southernillinoisan.com/articles/2008/07/23/front_page/25176686.txt

Springfield's Stalemate A Hostile Environment

2008-06-28T22:09:00.002-05:00

In the weeks since the adjournment, at least temporarily, of the General Assembly's spring session, I have been thinking a lot about how the dysfunction under the dome has dragged down the environmental agenda.

In recent years Illinois' environmental community has had an impressive run of big legislative victories on some the major policy questions of our time. In 2007, the electric rate relief package included some of the strongest clean energy provisions of any state - 25% of household electricity will come from wind in the future as a result, and ComEd and Ameren are busy getting ready to roll out major new energy conservation programs as a result. We've required a 90% reduction in mercury from our coal plants, and banned mercury in car parts, thermometers, and other products. We got nearly all of the phosphorus, which causes nasty algae blooms in our rivers and lakes, out of dishwashing detergent. Illinois ratified the Great Lakes Compact, to protect Lake Michigan from being drained by thirsts outside the region. We passed the nation's first Cool Cities Act, to give state support to mayors fighting climate change at the local level. We have new champions in all four caucuses of the General Assembly, and are more active than ever in electing new leaders across the state.

Given all this, we set our sights high for 2008, and launched ambitious campaigns to fight global warming, protect open space, and clean up toxics. As the dust settles on this Spring's legislative session, none of these initiatives crossed the finish line, despite heroic efforts by many. What happened?

Clearly, while the green engine inside the Capitol is building steam, the wheels have fallen off the rest of the train, and no amount of strength or smarts by advocates or individual legislators was enough to pull some very bright ideas through some very dark, deep tunnels.

State Representative Karen May (D-Highland Park) and a hardy band of champions are leading the drive to make Illinois the 15th Clean Car State by requiring cleaner versions of the cars we now drive that would reduce asthma attacks and save Illinois over $1 billion every year at the pump because they use a lot less gas. Who wouldn't want that? A statewide poll conducted May 22nd found that 90% of Illinoisans support the bill, and the support was strong everywhere - downstate, collar counties, and Chicago residents all want clean cars. However, the auto industry clings very tightly to their failed business strategy of refusing to make and sell the cars that more and more people want to buy. They waged a campaign of misinformation against the bill, and time ran out on the session before Rep. May could bring the bill up for a vote of the full House. A measure supported by 9 out of 10 Illinoisans will have to wait.

The passage of a state capital projects bill could potentially be a major source of funding environmental initiatives. The version of the Illinois Works proposal unveiled at the start of the session's last week contained no funding for open space protection, and was weighted towards roads rather than mass transit. By the end of the session's final week, thanks to hard work by House Republicans like Leader Tom Cross and Rep. Beth Coulson, and by House Democrats Julie Hamos, Elaine Nekritz, and Karen May, the plan was amended to include $200 million in open space funding - substantially less than needed over the life of the plan, but it was a start. After the package cleared the Senate, it died in the Illinois House as key funding mechanisms for the package were rejected.

State Senator Susan Garrett (D-Lake Forest) has worked for two years to come up with a plan to require recycling of computers and electronic waste in Illinois. After countless hours of negotiations with with computer and electronics manufacturers and advocates from the Environmental Law and Policy Center, Garrett came up with a product agreed to by most parties that passed both the Senate and the House, but failed to become law as the clock ran out before the Senate could give their approval to an amendment added in the House.

Several proposals to better protect our health from dangerous toxins got stuck in the mire. The chemical industry killed proposals to ban a few of the most dangerous toxins from some of the products we buy. A bill to require labeling of baby toys that contain brain-damaging lead failed, as did an effort to take mercury out of cosmetic products. While Illinoisans are embracing ways to detox their homes, Springfield resists them, even after Environment Illinois brought a toxics detection tool to the Capitol one day to show legislators just how widespread these unnecessary toxins are - right in their offices. Maybe that explains a few things?

So we have some very bright, hard-working champions in office, dedicated advocates both in the Capitol and in the districts raising these issues with their legislators, and an agenda with broad, growing public support. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough in this difficult year. So what's an advocate to do now?

This November's election is going to be about change, and we have a chance to harness that attention and energy from the electorate to break the Springfield logjam by electing more environmental champions to join the strong core who are already there putting the public's interest first. We need to help our friends who work so hard under such difficult circumstances, and bring in reinforcements next year to make the bipartisan team of environmental leaders strong enough to succeed in spite of whatever political battles lay ahead. Then we can get back to the business of making Illinois a model for America to follow.

Who's Hiding The Hybrids?

2008-05-16T09:03:00.000-05:00

Great piece Wednesday night on WMAQ-TV on how hard it is for many car buyers to find hybrid cars.

Many buyers are told to go to a clean car state if they want to buy a hybrid. HB 3424, set for a vote next week in the Illinois House, would make Illinois a Clean Car State.

Do you know where your State Rep stands on HB3424?

Who's Hiding The Hybrids? - Videos - WMAQ

Durbin, Obama Say 'Nay' to Old Energy Policies

2008-05-13T12:10:00.002-05:00

Good to see Sens. Durbin and Obama on the prevailing side in this big vote earlier today:

U.S. Senate today voted down an amendment by a margin of 42 to 56 (60 votes were needed for approval) that would have opened pristine lands and coastal waters, including the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, to new oil drilling. It would have also promoted the use of
expensive, dirty, and dangerous "unconventional" fuels produced from liquid coal and oil shale.

Senators Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Pete Domenici, (R-N.M.), attempted to tack their disastrous Domestic Energy Production Act tack onto the flood relief bill. This follows a renewed call from President Bush and his allies in Congress for more of the same disastrous energy policies that have saddled us with our present energy and economic crises.

Here is a statement of Sierra Club Executive Director Carl Pope on the vote:

"The answer to our oil addiction is not to search for a bigger fix. Drilling our coasts and national treasures like the Arctic Refuge and spending billions on dirty and expensive boondoggles like liquid coal and oil shale won't help hardworking Americans cope with gas prices. It will only add to the tens of billions of dollars the oil industry is already making.

"Even at peak production, which could take twenty years, the Arctic Refuge would provide roughly a year's worth of oil and would reduce gas prices at most by one or two cents a gallon.

"Under the leadership of President Bush and his allies in Congress, gas prices have more than doubled, Big Oil has made more than half a trillion dollars in profits over the past five years, and the United States has become even more dangerously addicted to fossil fuels.

"Hardworking Americans need real relief instead of the recycled rhetoric and disastrous energy policies that the president and his allies in Congress have pushed for the past seven years. Thankfully the leadership in the Senate has put forward a plan that will actually protect consumers, put America on the path toward a clean energy future, and finally put the
brakes on the taxpayer-funded giveaways that have been helping fuel Big Oil's record profits.

"Instead of searching for more ways to pad Big Oil's bottom line, the Consumer-First Energy Act offers Senators a chance to stop writing a blank check to Big Oil and instead protect consumers and invest in clean energy.

"These are the kind of answers we need—solutions that will bring energy costs under control, combat global warming, and leave America's last wild places intact."

Gas Hits $4 - Cleaner Cars, Anyone?

2008-04-14T21:20:00.008-05:00

Today in Chicago I saw my first $4/gallon gas. $4.04, to be exact (it was for premium). Temporary price spike, or taste of the future?

You know the feeling - your gas gauge is reading low (that tank went fast!), and you're wondering "how much is it gonna be this time?" You pull into your local Big Oil outlet and wish there was Something Somebody Could Do.

Turns out, there is. The Illinois House is considering the Illinois Clean Car Act, which would bring a cleaner version of the same car you drive now to Illinois. They're already required in 13 other states, but here we get the versions that put out more pollution and use more gas. Whatever car you need - SUV or sedan, pickup or compact, it comes in a cleaner version that uses less gas - you just can't buy it here.

Unless, of course, the Illinois General Assembly passes House Bill 3424, the Illinois Clean Car Act. A new report released today by Environment Illinois finds that, collectively, Illinois drivers would save $1.24 billion each and every year at the gas pump. A nice reward for making a big dent in global warming pollution, and preventing 100,000 asthma attacks and other respiratory symptoms annually.

So Somebody CAN Do Something. That Somebody is your State Representative. Do your part in Illinois' driver for clean air here.

Lights Out, Chicago!

2008-03-29T09:48:00.000-05:00

Tonight from 8-9PM is "Earth Hour", when people across the globe will be turning off unnecessary lights and appliances in a symbolic show of strength in the fight against global warming.

Obviously we need a lot more than one dark hour to solve global warming, but it is impressive to see the lengths to which the City of Chicago and its partners are going to drive participation tonight.

It's too bad the forecast calls for a cloudy night, it would have made for amazing stargazing. Still, those with a view of the Chicago skyline should see some dramatic images of iconic skyscrapers going dark.

Of course, people anywhere can participate, so lights out, everyone!

Earth Hour US - Earth Hour 2008

Bill Foster For Congress

2008-03-07T16:24:00.002-06:00

Voters have a clear environmental choice in the March 8th special election in the 14th Congressional District. Bill Foster's strong science background gives him a unique understanding of the challenges facing our environment, and he will be an articulate advocate for solving global warming, protecting endangered species, and cleaning up air and water pollution.

He supports:

-Setting limits on greenhouse gas pollution
-Promoting smart energy solutions, like renewables and energy efficiency, to create jobs, cut our dependence on foreign oil and cut pollution
-Strengthening the Clean Water Act, to better protect Illinois' wetlands, our Fox River, and all of America's waters
-Protecting the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from oil drilling

Bill Foster is a scientist who has won an energy efficiency award from the Department of Energy, is uniquely poised to not only protect our national treasures like the Arctic, but also to help lead us to a new green economy that will create new jobs in our state while helping us to meet the challenges associated with global warming.

Sierra Club endorses Bill Foster, and urges all 14th District voters who want to see Congress do more to protect our environment to support him in Saturday's special election.

Champions For Change In Springfield

2008-01-30T12:51:00.000-06:00

Here are Sierra Club's endorsements for General Assembly in the February 5th Republican and Democratic Primary elections. An unusual number of contested races this year creates new opportunities to elect environmental champions, and unprecedented threats to the General Assembly’s current environmental leaders. These are Democrats and Republicans we know will fight for smart energy solutions, healthy air and water, and open space.

The next General Assembly will decide whether Illinois takes serious action to fight global warming, create jobs in the new energy economy, and protect our drinking water from pollution. These are Democrats and Republicans, from downstate, the suburbs, and Chicago, who know that protecting the environment is good for the economy, good for our health, and good for our pocketbooks.

The legislature is expected to address major energy and environmental issues in the near future, including:

-Whether Illinois becomes the next “clean car” state, joining 14 others that have opted for cars that save money at the pump by using less gas, and put out less pollution

-State limits on global warming pollution, with major incentives for the creation of “green collar jobs”

-State programs to protect open spaces from development

-New drinking water safeguards

Illinois is on the verge of some very exciting changes that provide an economic boost while making our state a healthier place. However, to make these changes we need champions for solutions in Springfield, and we are proud to recommend this slate to Illinois primary voters.

Sierra Club has made these endorsements in primary elections so far. More endorsements will be made for the fall general election. Our priority with this round was to consider contested primary races.

Illinois House of Representatives

7 Karen Yarbrough (D)
9 Arthur Turner (D)
11 John Fritchey (D)
12 Sara Feigenholtz (D)
13 Greg Harris (D)
14 Harry Osterman (D)
16 Lou Lang (D)
17 Elizabeth Coulson (R)
18 Julie Hamos (D)
22 Sandy Pihos (R)
25 Barbara Flynn-Currie (D)
26 Will Burns (D)
27 Monique Davis (D)
29 David Miller (D)
34 Connie Howard (D)
38 Al Riley (D)
41 Bob Biggins (R)
48 Dave Carlin (R)
56 Paul Froehlich (D)
57 Elaine Nekritz (D)
58 Karen May (D)
59 Kathy Ryg (D)
62 Sandy Cole (R)
66 Christine Prochno (R)
71 Mike Boland (D)
78 Deborah Graham (D)
92 Allen Mayer (D)
96 Darlene Senger (R)

Illinois Senate

2 William Delgado (D)
7 Heather Steans (D)
41 Christine Radogno (R)
3 Mattie Hunter (D)
6 John Cullerton (D)
12 Martin Sandoval (D)
21 Dan Cronin (R)
29 Susan Garrett (D)
30 Terry Link (D)
39 Don Harmon (D)
42 Linda Holmes (D)

Sierra Club volunteers are working to assist the campaigns and educate area voters about the candidates’ positions on the issues. Sierra Club represents over 25,000 members in Illinois, and has been reaching to involve those members and, through Sierra Club Illinois Political Action Committee, the general public in these campaigns.

More information about Sierra Club’s endorsements is available at www.illinois.sierraclub.org/vote

A Clean Water Ticket For MWRD

2008-01-23T23:03:00.000-06:00

Sierra Club has endorsed three candidates in the February 5th Democratic Primary for Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. Sierra Club recommends a “clean water ticket” of Dean Maragos, Matthew Podgorski , and Mariyana Spyropoulos to Democratic primary voters in Cook County.

The safety and quality of our water supply will be on the ballot on February 5th, and these are three candidates voters can trust to safeguard our Chicago River and Lake Michigan. Each is committed to clean water, and will be champions for the changes we need to make to protect public health and drinking water.

The revival of the Chicago River is a huge success story, and people are flocking to it as a recreational resource. They should not be exposed to dangerous bacteria and pathogens in the water because MWRD chooses not to install the same disinfection equipment used by cities and towns all across Illinois and America, including by the MWRD itself at its plants in the suburbs.

None of the incumbents have committed to install disinfection equipment.

Maragos, Podgorski, and Spyropoulos would work to change that, and protect our water supply. We think they deserve the vote of those who want clean water on February 5th.

This is a chance to complete the revival of the Chicago River, and make it a safe and vibrant centerpiece of our city. Maragos, Podgorski, and Spyropoulos are leaders who have a vision for a clean and healthy river system for future generations.

The MWRD also has important responsibilities for protecting open space and guarding against flooding. Maragos, Podgorski, and Spyropoulos support new protections for Cook County’s last remaining wetlands, which soak up rainwater during storms, and using MWRD’s large land holdings for public purposes like recreation, wildlife habitat, and other non-commercial uses.

"We are at a generational crossroads where the decisions we make today regarding our natural resources will affect future generations. We have the knowledge and capability to make the right decisions, such as protecting Lake Michigan from pollutants and disinfecting our waterways,” said Mariyana Spyropoulos. “Let’s find the will to protect our natural resources."

“I would like to thank the members of the Sierra Club for putting their faith in me to serve as a true steward of our water environment,” said Matthew Podgorski. “Paying lip service to environmental causes will no longer suffice. The voters are ready to elect a Commissoner to the MWRD that has proven environmental leadership credentials.”

“What many voters do not realize is that the MWRD is one of the largest single landowners in Cook County. The District must pursue the best and highest use of that land, be it for picnicking, recreation or prairies,” said Dean Maragos, who is currently a Commissioner at the Illinois International Port District, the agency that controls most of Chicago’s southern lakefront. “The Sierra Club’s endorsement of my candidacy is a great honor I won’t soon forget. It will give voters an opportunity to better understand where I stand on important environmental issues while highlighting my sincere desire to increase recreational access to Chicago’s rivers and streams, which is an important step in improving our region’s water resources,” Maragos added.

Coal-To-Liquids: Not So Fast

2007-12-05T20:20:00.000-06:00

The coal rush slowed yesterday when the company seeking to turn coal into diesel fuel at a plant in East Dubuque shelved the proposal.

Getting auto fuel from coal basically doubles the global warming pollution that comes out of a car.

Sierra Club fought the proposal, primarily because the company, Rentech, made no commitments to deal with their global warming pollution.

According to Verena Owen, chair of the Sierra Club's Illinois Clean Energy Campaign:

"Over 30 Sierra Club volunteers from Iowa and Illinois showed up and spoke up at the hearing for the Rentech facility, facing 200 some Rentech supporters. We have been working with the NRDC office in Chicago to develop comments. Rentech knows we are serious.

It is noteworthy that Rentech pulled out not only over carbon regulation uncertainty but also because of economic factors. It is clear that CTL will need substantial state and federal financing in order to get off the ground, even in Mississippi. We will have to work on not giving hand-outs to this new market for dirty coal. We can't drill or mine ourselves out of global warming."

Blagojevich Joins MW Govs to Lead on Global Warming

2007-11-15T09:52:00.000-06:00

At a summit meeting of Midwest Governors today in Milwaukee, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich is joining the governors of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas, and Michigan in committing to regional limits on the pollution that is causing global warming.

Illinois is now at the forefront of states working to solve global warming with smart energy solutions. The Midwest can be a laboratory for the solutions that can save our planet, while creating jobs in a new energy economy, and saving all of us money we currently spend on heat, electricity, and gasoline.

Earlier this year, Blagojevich announced goals for reducing global warming pollution to 1990 levels by 2020, and 60% below 1990 levels by 2050 - the reductions called for by the scientific community. This year, the Illinois Climate Change Advisory Group considered steps for reaching the first milestone, and has recommended a package of clean car and energy measures that would meet the first target while creating new jobs and lowering energy bills.

The good news about global warming is that we know what solutions will work. Being smarter about how we produce and use energy will not only make deep cuts in pollution, it will create new jobs in the industries of the future. We know we can’t wait for the Bush Administration to lead on solving global warming. It’s up to the states to lead America in implementing solutions to this unprecedented problem, and it's great to see Illinois at the head of the pack.

Blues Bash Sunday

2007-11-10T14:12:00.000-06:00

Join us if you can:

Sierra Club's Annual Blues & Greens
Blues Bash @ Kingston Mines

with Linsey Alexander and the
Linsey Alexander Blues Band

Sunday, November 11
5 pm till 8 pm
Kingston Mines Blues Club
2548 North Halsted, Chicago
Tickets: $40

Join us for Chicago Blues,
down home cookin' and dancin'
Soul food buffet and cash bar

Non-smoking and family friendly - KIDS ARE FREE!

Hear That Giant Sucking Sound?

2007-10-28T09:04:00.000-05:00

Today's Tribune has an article that explains why Sierra Club made having Illinois ratify the Great Lakes Compact one of our top legislative priorities of 2007. Indeed, we are emerging as a target for a thirsty country envisioning some very large straws pointing our way.

Good work by two lakefront legislators, State Sen. John Cullerton (D-Chicago) and State Rep. Harry Osterman (D-Chicago) to get this done this year. Sierra Club volunteers met with their legislators earlier this year in their districts to stress the importance of getting this done this year. Now we need our Great Lakes neighbor states to do the same. (Minnesota already has).

The Incredible Shrinking Great Lakes

2007-10-22T22:28:00.000-05:00

Today's New York Times has an alarming story about the effect that low water levels throughout the Great Lakes are having on commercial shipping.

Road Looks Clear to Clean Cars

2007-09-12T14:54:00.000-05:00

Today in Vermont, Judge William Sessions ruled against the automakers and for the Sierra Club, the states of Vermont and New York, and other environmental groups, and opened the door for states like Illinois to mandate cutting global warming emissions from cars. Over the vigorous objections of the automakers, he ruled that New York and Vermont may proceed with enacting the California Clean Car (Pavley) Standards, pending EPA approval. These standards, adopted by California and at least 11 other states, and proposed by pending state legislation in Springfield, will reduce global warming emissions from cars by 30 percent when fully implemented in 2016.

In Illinois, the cleaner standard would be required under House Bill 3424, sponsored by State Representative Karen May (D-Highland Park). State Senator Terry Link (D-Waukegan) has introduced similar legislation, Senate Bill 663. Clean cars have been recommended to Gov. Blagojevich by the Clean Car and Energy Efficiency Working Group he appointed in 2006, and most recently by the Illinois Climate Change Advisory Group.

Today’s ruling makes it very clear that Illinois indeed has the authority to choose cleaner, more efficient cars. Gov. Blagojevich and state lawmakers are considering proposals to bring cleaner cars to Illinois, and we urge them to act quickly so we can all start saving money at the gas pump, breathing cleaner air, and making a big dent in global warming pollution.

The cleaner car standard will mean more vehicle choices for Illinois drivers, so matter what kind of car you need, you will have choices that will go farther on a gallon of gas, and pollute less. Adopting California standards here will save Illinois drivers 3 billion gallons of gasoline per year by the year 2030, which will mean money that would have gone to big oil companies will instead stay in our pockets.

The faster Illinois chooses clean cars, the faster we all will enjoy the benefits, and a cleaner, more affordable future.

The decision can be found at:
http://www.vtd.uscourts.gov/Supporting%20Files/Cases/05cv302.pdf

Clean Energy Bill Now Law!

2007-08-28T14:08:00.000-05:00

The major new clean energy programs signed into law today by Governor Blagojevich are two major steps forward toward a cleaner, safer, and more affordable energy future for Illinois. After decades of dealing with the pollution and cost of relying solely on dirty coal and nuclear power, Illinois is now a national leader in promoting clean, renewable energy, and in helping consumer and businesses cut their electric bills by using less power.

The new requirement that 25% of Illinois’ electricity will come from renewable sources by the year 2025 will create new jobs in a pollution-free power industry. At the same time, utilities, the State of Illinois, and local governments will begin major new programs to reduce existing power use. By 2015, these programs are to cut existing power use 2% below today's levels. These conservation programs will deliver savings each and every month as our homes and businesses use less power. They will also create high-paying jobs in a clean, new energy economy.

By using less power overall, and by getting more and more of it from pollution-free sources like wind, Illinois is also taking two big steps to reducing our contribution to global warming. Scientists tell us that we need to reduce pollution by 80% to solve global warming, and that energy efficiency and renewable energy are the two most effective strategies for reaching these goals.

Historically, Illinois has lagged behind in implementing smart energy policies. Today, we move from the back of the pack to the head of the class in implementing smart energy policies for the future. This is one area where our leaders have agreed on major changes that are the right choices for Illiniosans today, and for our future.

BP: Put It in the Permit, Not Just the Press Release

2007-08-24T00:28:00.001-05:00

We welcome BP's "promise" today to "not make use of the higher discharge limits" recently granted them by the State of Indiana. This is a welcome first step that BP has, perhaps belatedly, realized how much the people of this region love and depend on Lake Michigan, our Great Lake.

We now challenge BP to make this commitment not just in a press release, but in the legally binding permit they will operate under. That is the only way that the 12 million people who relay on Lake Michigan for drinking water will know for sure that the Clean Water Act will be there to enforce BP's new promise. Fixing the permit to require better pollution controls would add penalties if they fail to make good on this new commitment. That is the strongest guarantee that the people of this region can have that their water will get the best protection.

Every day Sierra Club works with other ammonia dischargers, mostly local governments on a strict budget, in this region to help them reduce their ammonia discharges to protect area waters. We stand ready to help BP identify solutions to help them avoid increasing ammonia discharges to the Lake. We are confident that if cash-strapped communities in Illinois can do it, so can BP.

Putting the promise in the permit will give this welcome new commitment the force of law. It will also erase the bad precedent the State of Indiana set by granting the original permit, and raise the bar for other industrial polluters around our Great Lake.

Put the promise in the permit, not just the press release.

Summit on BP Pollution Proposal

2007-08-15T22:24:00.001-05:00

I participated in a summit today at USEPA regional headquarters in Chicago on BP's proposal to increase pollution to Lake Michigan as part of their Whiting refinery expansion.

At the summit, there were many good ideas about how BP can do better - from citizen groups, the City of Chicago, and others. BP and Indiana didn't accept the recommendations, or commit to accepting them if they prove to be workable, but they didn't rule them out, either.

The closer we look at BP's proposal the more questions we have. I asked BP today about their mercury emissions, both directly into the lake in their wastewater, and through the air as part of a sludge incinerator they were operating on the property. They weren't prepared to answer that, but ultimately announced that they closed the incinerator in February of this year. If that's true, that is probably a postive step, although they didn't say where the sludge is going now.

Congressman Rahm Emmanuel did a great job of making crystal clear how angry and exercised the public and their elected officials are about this. He said that Lake Michigan is "our Grand Canyon, our Yellowstone," and claimed that BP wasn't being totally honest with the public about their reasons for avoiding full treatment of their effluent.

Unless BP wants to undo all the work they have done, and money they have spent, to build their image as a green company, at least in this major market, one has to believe they will soon come to their senses and adopt some of the promising alternatives that are coming forward from a variety of sources.

Power Shift

2007-07-26T00:53:00.001-05:00

Historically, whenever Illinois has passed major energy legislation, environmentalists have made good arguments about the impacts of energy production and consumption, worked long and hard to educate legislators, and then ended up with the table scraps from the real deal (studies, task forces, voluntary goals, some new dollars dwarfed by the boatloads sent to coal and nuclear power…..).

Now, the General Assemlby is poised to approve a mandate that 25% of our electricity come from clean, renewable sources like wind by 2025; and to require that utilities plan for helping us customers use less energy.

The environmental benefits of the clean energy pieces of the rate deal are as significant as the shift in the politics of environmental protection in Illinois.

What’s changed? Why are we poised to set off in an entirely new direction on energy policy, instead of throwing more money at the same old, dirty system?

Here’s my take on some of the key factors -

-State Senator Don Harmon (D-Oak Park), seeing in January that the rate crisis would make energy one of the session’s top priority issues, introduced the Affordable, Clean Energy Standards Act (ACES). State Representative Deborah Graham (D-Oak Park) carried it in the Illinois House. The rate deal essentially incorporates the ACES goals for renewable energy (but strengthens them), and for major new energy efficiency programs.

-Attorney General Lisa Madigan and her team insisted that targets for renewable energy development and energy conservation be a part of any final deal. Her smart and dedicated team made sure that the deal worked for consumers and for our environment.

-ComEd and Ameren seem to be realizing that green power is good business, and they ended up to committing to reach ambitious, but achievable goals.

-Speaker Madigan and President Jones kept open minds about talks that started on the narrow topic of a rate freeze or refund. Many rank and file members of both parties understood the importance of clean energy as part of a rate solution, and spoke up for it.

-Governor Blagojevich, while not a direct party to the negotiations, did set the bar last fall with his Sustainable Energy Plan. The clean energy components of the rate deal reflect components of that plan, and his Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity will have a major role in running the new energy conservation programs.

-THE PEOPLE of Illinois are demanding better energy policies. We have never had more people from all over the state standing up to do their part to solve global warming.

From the back of the pack to setting the pace, these are truly exciting times in Illinois, and the results are good for us all.

1,000 New Reasons to Buy a Hybrid

2007-07-15T14:35:00.001-05:00

Here's a bright idea from State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulis - a $1,000 rebate when you buy a hybrid and you get a car loan through a participating financial institution.

26% of Illinois' global warming pollution comes from cars and trucks. To hit the goals science tells us we need to reach, we have to make cars cleaner and encourage people to choose the most efficient car that meets their needs. Now there are $1,000 more reasons for Illinois drivers to make the right car choice.

House sends iSPACE resolution to Blagojevich

2007-06-28T15:28:00.000-05:00

The Illinois House today approved, 107-0, a joint resolution in support of iSPACE. It had been adopted by the Senate, so now goes to the Governor and the leaders negotiating the budget, calling for $100 million annually in new conservation land acquisition funding.

Legislators are about to take a break for the 4th of July holiday, and will return the week of July 9th to resume budget talks. If you see yours over the break, ask them for an update!

GOP Loses Solid Conservationist

2007-06-26T22:16:00.000-05:00

I sincerely hope that Paul Froehlich's switch from Republican to Democrat, announced today, has more to do with the political issues cited in news coverage than with his strong, pro-environment voting record.

I am sure Froehlich will continue to support environmental protection as a Democrat, just as he did as a Republican. That's because he casts his votes based on the facts and the will of his constituents, and his partisan affiliation doesn't affect either.

The American conservation and environmental movement has historically had support from Republican leaders at critical times, whether it was Teddy Roosevelt protecting many of the public lands we enjoy today, or Richard Nixon overseeing the enactment of our modern environmental laws and agencies.

Here in Illinois, Republican legislators are a critical part of the growing bloc that is increasingly making our state a leader in environmental protection. Representatives Winters, Biggins, Coulson, Mulligan, Krause, Bassi, Tryon, Fortner, Pihos, Lindner, Cole, and Pritchard, and Senators Cronin, Althoff, Radogno, Peterson, and Dillard are among those who have been supportive of smart energy solutions, cleaner air, cleaner water, and protecting natural areas for future generations. (My apologies to any I missed - this is a quick list off the top of my head just to give you an idea.)

These numbers have been growing in recent years (as they have in the Democratic caucuses). For those of us who work for clean air and water, and all of us who value it, let's hope that trend keeps moving in the right direction. It makes for good public policy, and good politics as voters increasingly choose pro-environment candidates from both parties.

iSPACE in the Souhern today

2007-06-08T12:14:00.000-05:00

Nice column in the Southern Illinoisan today on iSPACE.

Les Winkeler writes:

"Illinois is ranked last among Midwestern states in state-owned protected lands. And, with the state's recent economic downturn, funding for land acquisition has decreased about 80 percent over the past few years.

The current legislation, co-sponsored by Reps. Mike Bost and Brandon Phelps, calls for $100 million in new funding. The funding would be designated for land acquisition, provide management grants and support the implementation of the Hunting Heritage Protection Act."

IL House Backs iSPACE

2007-06-07T14:49:00.000-05:00

Today the Illinois House adopted HJR 55, sponsored by State Rep. Harry Osterman (D-Chicago), calling for the inclusion of $100 million in new conservation funding in any capital budget. The Senate adopted an identical resolution last week.

So no state budget deal this week, but another strong showing of support for including the iSPACE (Illinois Special Places Conservation, Acquisition, and Enhancement) program in the final deal.

Part of the Solution, or Part of the Problem?

2007-06-05T12:32:00.000-05:00

Tenaska, Inc. is planning to build the largest new source of carbon dioxide in Illinois near Taylorville. The 630MW coal fired power plant, as currently planned, would add approximately four million tons of carbon dioxide to Illinois’ carbon dioxide emissions annually, the same amount of global warming pollution as 500,000 cars, per year for each of the next fifty years.

Governor Blagojevich has set a statewide goal of reducing global warming pollution to 60% below 1990 levels by 2050 - the level that science tells us we must reach to slow global warming. Renewable energy and energy efficiency programs will be a major part of this strategy. Illinois coal can also be a part of the solution if new plants are linked to major reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Last year in Springfield, just up the road from Taylorville, City Water Light and Power (CWLP) was planning to build a 200MW power plant for their city customers. We worked with CWLP to forge an agreement to offset the plant’s carbon dioxide emissions through a creative package of programs, including purchasing 120MW of wind power, and investing $400,000 into a city wide energy efficiency program.

So far, this has not been the case with the Tenaska project. Tenaska does not have a plan to deal with the massive increases in global warming pollution that would come from their plant. Such a plan could include offsetting carbon emissions through retiring existing, dirtier plants, investing in renewables or efficiency, or potentially sequestering their carbon underground, although there are still many questions about the viability of carbon sequestration.

Tenaska could be a part of the solution, and put forward a plan that gives Illinois and the planet less, not millions of tons more, carbon dioxide. We are willing to work with them to develop such a plan. If Springfield and their local utility can do it, surely a large corporation like Tenaska can do it.

Full Senate, House Committee Recommend iSPACE

2007-05-30T23:47:00.000-05:00

Today the full Illinois Senate and a majority of the Illinois house have voiced their support for $100 million in new funding to protect open space as part of a capital spending plan.

“Senators on both sides of the aisle, from all parts of Illinois, agree that investing in protected land for the future is a very smart use of public funds,” said State Senator Jeff Schoenberg, (D-Evanston). “If we don’t include open space protection as part of the next capital spending plan, many valuable acres will either be lost to development forever, or become more expensive to taxpayers as land values increase over time.” Schoenberg is the sponsor of an identical resolution, Senate Joint Resolution 52, in the Senate, which today was adopted by the full Senate.

“Protecting parks and natural areas for future generations is a critical function of state government, and in recent years we have not had the resources to protect the special places of our state from development,” said State Representative Harry Osterman (D-Chicago), the sponsor of House Joint Resolution 55, which calls for $100 million annually in new conservation spending. “Just as we need to shore up our transportation systems and provide quality schools, we have to protect places for recreation, relaxation and wildlife.” HJR 55 has been co-sponsored by 70 members, a majority of the Illinois House, and was approved unanimously by the House State Government Committee on Wednesday.

Momentum Building For New Conservation Plan In State Budget

2007-05-29T22:43:00.000-05:00

As Illinois lawmakers work toward a new state budget, a growing number of city, suburban, and downstate legislators are calling for new funding to protect open space as part of the final spending plan.

The proposed "iSPACE" plan would invest $100 million per year in new places across the state to hunt, hike, play, bike, relax, absorb floodwater, purify drinking water, and pass our natural heritage along to future generations. The House resolution supporting the plan, HJR 55, has 70 cosponsors, and today House leaders suspended the rules to allow a hearing on HJR 55 Wednesday morning in the House State Government Committee.

An identical resolution in the Senate cleared the Senate State Government & Veterans' Affairs Committee unanimously last week, and is on the calendar for a Senate floor vote Wednesday.

Both resolutions call for inclusion of funding to establish a capital program to protect Illinois’ natural areas and open spaces for future generations. The Illinois Special Places Acquisition, Conservation and Enhancement Program (iSPACE) would invest in Illinois’ future by providing $100 million annually in a capital spending plan for conservation programs.

iSPACE would designate $100 million annually for:

(1) a new statewide land acquisition program to protect the State's most precious natural resources and provide recreational opportunities, including matching grants to local governments;

(2) implementation of the Partners for Conservation Program (formerly Conservation 2000) through land acquisition and management grants; and

(3) implementation of the Hunting Heritage Protection Act by increasing the amount of land acreage available for hunting opportunities in Illinois.

Sportsmen and environmentalists are working closely together to build support for iSPACE. This has helped build a legislative coaltion of downstaters, suburbanites, and urban legislators that crosses party lines.

As State Rep. Harry Osterman (D-Chicago), lead sponsor of HJR55, says:

“Protecting parks and natural areas for future generations is a critical function of state government, and in recent years we have not had the resources to protect the special places of our state from development. Just as we need to shore up our transportation systems and provide quality schools, we have to protect places for recreation, relaxation, and wildlife.”

Illinois has been without significant open space funding since 2002, and as a result many special places in our state have been lost forever to development. Legislative leadrs have a chance with this budget to catch up on our obligations to the future by including the iSPACE proposal in any capital budget.