Supreme Court Rules MidAmerican Must Reconsider Coal

This week, the Iowa Supreme Court issued a favorable opinion that paves the way for more cost-effective and environmentally-friendly energy solutions in the state. MidAmerican's 2020 emission management plan failed to consider retiring its coal plants. Collaborating with the Iowa Environmental Council and Sierra Club, ELPC provided a thorough analysis that proposed coal plant closures, replacing them with clean energy for a smarter approach to emission management.

The Iowa Utilities Board (IUB), however, ignored the valuable evidence and excluded it from the plan. Even though past utilities have used coal plant retirements as an emission strategy, the IUB disregarded it as irrelevant. ELPC Senior Attorney Josh Mandelbaum argued the case before the Supreme Court in March for a ruling that makes it clear: coal plant retirements are a relevant part of emission management plans.

Thanks to the Supreme Court's ruling, Iowa's energy sector can now look forward to a more practical and eco-friendly future.

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Photo by Aerial Associates Photography, Inc. by Zachary Haslick for NOAA via flickr.com (PDM 1.0)

Consent Decree in Lake Erie Cleanup Litigation

Federal Judge James Carr today approved a consent decree to combat the toxic algae blooms that plague western Lake Erie every summer. This marks a crucial step forward for ELPC and the Board of Lucas County Commissioners to hold the U.S. EPA and Ohio EPA accountable for a real cleanup plan with real deadlines.

Judge Carr acknowledged and praised the "persistent, unyielding quest" of the Plaintiffs to secure a joint commitment from the EPA and the State toward the restoration of Lake Erie's Western Basin. He emphasized that while today's agreement is but a first step, it is a crucial one that must be taken.

He added: "But there’s reason to hope that, in time, the Maumee River will no longer display, as it has for countless summers, a loathsome foul and slimy green surface as it flows through Toledo on its constant and irresistible course onto Lake Erie’s Western Basin.”

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CLEAN TRANSPORTATION

ELPC Testifies for Stronger Heavy-Duty Truck Emissions Standards

The transportation sector is the leading source of carbon emissions in the U.S., and trucks and buses account for a third of those emissions. ELPC’s Susan Mudd testified to the EPA this week, calling for the strongest possible limits on heavy-duty pollution to protect those disproportionately harmed by air pollution.

CLEAN ENERGY

ELPC Convenes 117-Group Coalition in Support of Rural Clean Energy

A coalition of 117 agriculture, trade, environmental & business groups signed a letter calling on Congress to fully fund the Rural Energy for America Program. “REAP has broad support across American society,” said ELPC’s Andy Olsen. “It serves many & provides benefits for improved farm income, environmental protection & rural economic development.”

CLEAN AIR

Illinois Legislature Could Soon Pass Stronger Pesticide Protections

ELPC and partners filed suit against the employers of farmworkers who were exposed to harmful pesticides in 2019. Stronger state protections were fought for and new legislation is expected to pass soon, with stronger penalties for unsafe pesticide use based on the number of people exposed.

UPCOMING EVENTS

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NEWS ROUNDUP

Sun-Times Editorial: Lawmakers Shouldn’t Rush to Spend More Money on Flawed Peotone Airport Plan
Wisconsin Public Radio: The Nation Now Has an Inventory of Old-Growth Forests. Some Hope Protections will Follow
Illinois Answers Project: The Feds Are Pushing for Millions More Electric Vehicles on the Road, But Is Illinois Ready?
Chicago Tribune Op-Ed: Howard Learner: Here are 7 Actions Brandon Johnson Must Prioritize for a Greener, More Sustainable Chicago
ELPC Blog: Testimony in Support of Great Lakes Authority
Financial Times: US Aims to Dramatically Expand EV Fleets with Tough New Emissions Rule
ELPC Thinks Webinar: Author & Journalist Dan Egan on the Dangers of Phosphorus
Better Magazine: 10 Top Eco-Warriors Fighting Climate Change and Promoting Sustainability – 2023
Politico: Fighting Climate Change in the Windy City
ELPC Blog: 30 Years of Protecting the Great Lakes
WBEZ: Microsoft Abandons Project Mapping Chicago’s Air Pollution
ELPC Blog: Restoring Communities Through the Rural Energy for America Program

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Founded in 1993, the Environmental Law & Policy Center is the Midwest's leading environmental legal advocacy organization. We advocate, innovate, and litigate to protect the Midwest's environment from the Great Lakes to the Great Plains.

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