This Month­ ­Across the Midwest: October 2024 Newsletter

1) Rolling Up Our Sleeves to Protect the Midwest Environment: [[link removed]]

Tuesday’s election results are a loss for the environment. While we hoped for a different outcome, we’ve seen the playbook of the Trump Administration before, and ELPC is built to handle it. We are uniquely situated to pivot quickly, going on the offense for environmental progress at the state level while playing defense on the federal side against the Trump wrecking crew.
We will ensure Midwest states step up when the federal government steps back from protecting wild and natural places including the Great Lakes. We will accelerate clean renewable energy deployment through Midwest state public utilities commissions, insulate state environmental laws from federal intrusion, find bipartisan solutions for Great Lakes Restoration, and fight bad ideas in DC. ELPC will never stop fighting for the Midwest, working tirelessly for clean energy, climate resilience, and environmental protections and justice that our communities deserve.

2) Michigan Utility DTE Must Plan for Energy Transition: [[link removed]]

In a first-of-its-kind order in DTE’s 2024 gas rate case, the Michigan Public Service Commission now requires DTE to submit an updated gas delivery plan aligned with state energy goals. This plan must support emissions targets, assess transition pathways, evaluate costs and risks, and provide a timeline for achieving key milestones. ELPC collaborated with the Ecology Center, Vote Solar, and Union of Concerned Scientists to secure this important advancement

3) Iowa Utilities Commission Rescinds Outdated Rules, Boosting Energy Transparency: [[link removed]]

Thanks to ELPC advocacy, IUC rescinded confusing and outdated rules to improve utility transparency. ELPC's Senior Attorney Josh Mandelbaum said: "The outdated verification rules allowed MidAmerican to mislead the public about its clean energy mix, claiming 100% renewable energy while operating a large, uneconomic, and polluting coal fleet.”

4) ELPC & Wisconsin Groups Combat Polluting Livestock Facility: [[link removed]]

ELPC and Midwest Environmental Advocates filed a petition for a contested case hearing on Pagel's Ponderosa (a CAFO in Kewaunee County)'s issued wastewater permit. The action was filed on behalf of Clean Water Action Council of Northeast Wisconsin, Friends of the Forestville Dam, and a Kewaunee County resident whose private drinking water well was contaminated by nitrates

5) ELPC Identifies Pattern of Problems in Indiana’s Air Permits & Enforcement: [[link removed]]

ELPC’s Northwest Indiana Protector Project fights to protect communities and natural ecosystems by working to tighten air and water permits for steel mills, oil refineries, and other industrial facilities. Last week, ELPC attended a number of public events – including a community meeting in Dune Acres and a hearing in Whiting – to call for stronger air permits on Tradebe's hazardous waste facility.

6) WATCH NOW: A Post-Election Debrief with Lynn Sweet of the Chicago Sun-Times: [[link removed]]


ELPC
35 E Wacker Dr 1600
Chicago, IL 60601
United States
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