I Moved My Blog

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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

A Slice of Eden on the South Side

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

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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.