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This Month
Across the Midwest
August 2025 Newsletter
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Trump EPA Strikes at the Heart of Climate Change Protections [[link removed]]
The scientific consensus has been clear for decades: climate pollution puts people’s health in danger. Last week, the Trump EPA moved to revoke its own ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions by rescinding the endangerment finding. By trying to reject that basic reality, the EPA would have no legal basis to regulate greenhouse gases, such as the standards for cleaner light- medium- and heavy-duty vehicles.
For many years, federal rules have required carmakers to reduce the pollution that comes out of tailpipes to save us money while improving our air. Obliterating these standards will mean dirtier cars, higher prices at the pump, and fewer incentives for manufacturing zero-emissions cars and trucks. It will also mean more air pollution and make it harder for cities and states to clean up the air. ELPC will challenge the EPA’s misguided actions. We will first engage before EPA in its regulatory process and then go to court if necessary to reverse the EPA’s damaging actions.
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[[link removed]] Wild & Natural Places [[link removed]]
[link removed] [[link removed]] Protecting Southern Illinois’ Shawnee National Forest [[link removed]]
[link removed] [[link removed]] U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced legislation to increase protections in the Shawnee National Forest, after years of advocacy from ELPC and partners. Three new special management areas would prevent commercial extraction while allowing for active management, and a new wilderness area would provide the strongest federal protections.
[[link removed]] Clean Energy [[link removed]]
[link removed] [[link removed]] Electric Bills Are Rising, Renewables Offer Relief [[link removed]]
[link removed] [[link removed]] Portions of the Midwest, including Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio, are about to see higher electric rates, driven by the rapid growth of power-hungry data centers. ELPC is calling on lawmakers and grid operators to do more to support distributed energy resources, efficiency, and demand response to ease pressure on the grid and lower costs.
[[link removed]] Clean Air [[link removed]]
[link removed] [[link removed]] Taking Trump to Court for Illegal Michigan Coal Plant Extension [[link removed]]
[link removed] [[link removed]] This month, nine public advocacy groups filed a response to the Trump administration’s unlawful and unreasonable extension of the Michigan J.H. Campbell plant. Keeping the unnecessary plant online past its retirement cost $29 million in the first five weeks. ELPC is fighting to ensure that Midwestern consumers are not stuck paying this bill for an unneeded coal plant.
[[link removed]] Clean Water [[link removed]]
[link removed] [[link removed]] Victory: Advocates Fend off Wetlands Legal Challenge in Iowa [[link removed]]
[link removed] [[link removed]] After the Pacific Legal Foundation sought to dismantle the “Swampbuster” program earlier this year, ELPC and clean water advocates stepped up to defend farmers and wetlands, and a federal judge ruled in our favor. This is a big win for healthy farms and ecosystems.
[[link removed]] Take Action [[link removed]]
[link removed] [[link removed]] Tell EPA: Keep Strong Pollution Limits for Power Plants [[link removed]]
[link removed] [[link removed]] The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to repeal critical federal standards that limit greenhouse gas pollution from fossil fuel power plants like coal- and gas-fired plants. These rules are essential to curbing climate change and protecting public health. Submit your public comment today! [[link removed]]
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[link removed] [[link removed]] ELPC Thinks : Utility Political Corruption [[link removed]]
If We Want Clean Energy, Then We Need Clean Government
In conversation with ELPC CEO & Executive Director Howard Learner, author Dick Munson discusses his new book, Power Corrupts: Cleaning Up America’s Biggest Industry.
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* Utility Dive : DOE Allows Talen to Run Oil-Fired Unit Above Limits to Avoid Outages Amid Heat Wave [[link removed]]
* Holland Sentinel : Michigan AG Escalates Filing Over Campbell Plant to U.S. Court of Appeals [[link removed]]
* Akron Beacon Journal : Have doubts about climate change? Look no further than our tick population | Editorial [[link removed]]
* Capital B Gary : Hotter Days, Higher Electric Bills: How Climate Change is Impacting Gary [[link removed]]
* ELPC Blog : Climate Change is Seriously Jeopardizing the Great Lakes [[link removed]]
* Engineering News-Record : Feds Withdraw $4.9B Conditional Loan Guarantee for Grain Belt Express Power Line [[link removed]]
* Milwaukee Journal Sentinel : Extreme heat. Warmer water. More ticks. Fewer fish. Climate change report brings grim news. [[link removed]]
* The Herald-Times : 7 Agencies Say Why Governor’s Executive Order is Bad for Indiana Environment [[link removed]]
* Inside Climate News : Potential Repeal of Roadless Rule Could Permanently Damage Midwest National Forests [[link removed]]
* MPR News : New Report Looks at the Many Impacts of Climate Change to Great Lakes Region [[link removed]]
* Wisconsin Public Radio : Report: Climate Change Continues to Drive Warmer Weather, Extremes in Great Lakes Region [[link removed]]
* ELPC Blog : Toxic Algae in the Great Lakes: Reducing Risk to Find Relief from Summer Heat [[link removed]]
* Canary Media : Trumps Rural Energy Freeze Hits Midwest, GOP Districts Hardest [[link removed]]
* Post-Tribune : Environmental Groups File Petition Against IDEM Air Permit Renewal [[link removed]]
* Inside Climate News : Michigan Environmental Groups Argue Line 5 Tunnel Project Lacks Key Climate Considerations [[link removed]]
* Des Moines Register : Iowa’s Largest Urban Area Faces a Water Crisis. How Experts Say We Can Solve It [[link removed]]
* Wisconsin Examiner : State Budget Omits Stewardship Funds, Includes $1 Million for Timber Industry Groups [[link removed]]
* Toledo Blade : Ag, Industry Out and Environmental Groups Are In Major Lake Erie Case [[link removed]]
* Inside Climate News : In Chicago, a Landmark Environmental Justice Bill Inches Toward Passage [[link removed]]
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We're all in to protect the Midwest environment
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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ELPC
35 E Wacker Dr 1600
Chicago, IL 60601
United States
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