February 2024 ENews
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This Month
Across the Midwest
** ► FEBRUARY 2024 NEWSLETTER
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** ELPC Argues Before Michigan Supreme Court for Clean Water ([link removed])
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This month, ELPC attorneys argued in front of the Michigan Supreme Court to defend the state’s Department of Environment Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE). On behalf of a group of Michigan environmental and community organizations, we argued the agency has the right to protect clean water.
A state appellate court ruling would effectively handcuff EGLE from regulating waste from the largest industrial agricultural operations, which make up less than 1% of the state's farms. The biggest facilities represent the biggest risk to water quality, and they should be held responsible for managing their harmful waste, which is key to stopping water pollution and harmful algal blooms. If the Michigan Supreme Court does not reverse the lower court’s ruling, EGLE will be unable to improve the permits that protect Michigan's waters.
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** News & Updates
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** GREAT PLACES
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** Victory! Protecting South Dakota’s Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge ([link removed])
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ELPC and the National Wildlife Refuge Association submitted comments in November 2023 to stop large developments in the 21,498-acre Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service agreed that such development would violate the law and be damaging to wildlife, so the agency withdrew its compatibility determination.
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** CLEAN TRANSPORTATION
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** The American Passenger Rail Manufacturing Supply Chain is Strong ([link removed])
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In the years since our last rail supply chain report in 2015, public transit and passenger rail manufacturing in the U.S. has only grown. The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act has amplified these trends.
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** GREAT LAKES
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** Sun Times Agrees: Chicago’s Southeast Side Lakefront Needs a Park, Not a Toxic Dump ([link removed])
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Check out this Chicago Sun-Times editorial about our campaign to protect the Southeast Side from a new toxic dredge dump. “This is an accident waiting to happen,” warns ELPC Executive Director Howard Learner.
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** WATCH
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** ELPC 2024 Winter Update ([link removed])
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Big things are happening at ELPC this year. Watch our video update to learn more.
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** Extreme Weather & Energy Efficiency ([link removed])
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ELPC’s Executive Director Howard Learner sits down with CBS 2’s Tara Molina to discuss extreme weather in Chicago, what residents should know about home energy use, and the importance of energy efficiency.
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** ELPC Thinks: Electric School Buses ([link removed])
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Watch our recent webinar with Superintendent Tim Farquer of the Williamsfield (IL) Schools. We discussed how he successfully acquired electric school buses and helped power the district's microgrid.
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** EVENTS
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** Public Meeting: Tell IDEM that BP’s Whiting Refinery Needs Stronger Air Quality Permits. ([link removed])
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Thursday, February 8 @ 6:00 PM
East Chicago Central High School, Indiana
Photo credit: Saving Whiting & Neighbors (SWAN)
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** Save the Date: ELPC's 2024 Annual Gala ([link removed] )
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Friday, May 31, 2024
Navy Pier, Chicago
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** NEWS ROUNDUP
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* Utility Dive: FERC Outlook: Danly Exit Could Boost Transmission Reform, but Smaller Commission Poses Risks ([link removed])
* The Oakland Press: Pontiac to Hit the Road with New Electric School Bus Fleet Next Fall ([link removed])
* The Gazette: Iowa House Deliberates on Bill That Would Loosen Topsoil, Stormwater Regulations ([link removed])
* NRDC Blog: Lowering Energy Costs and Emissions in Rural America ([link removed])
* Chicago Tribune: Editorial: Rising Utility Rates in Northern Illinois are No Different from Tax Increases. Lawmakers, Follow Pritzker’s Lead ([link removed])
** We're all in to protect the Midwest's environment.
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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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Environmental Law and Policy Center . 35 E Upper Wacker Dr . Ste 1600 . Chicago, Illinois 60601 . USA
