Effective Advocacy in an Unprecedented Year

Here’s a snapshot of ELPC’s progress and some accomplishments over the past year:

1. Holding EPA and Ohio EPA accountable for cleaning up Lake Erie
ELPC’s groundbreaking Clean Water Act lawsuit to clean up toxic algae in Lake Erie reached a critical next stage. Our summary judgment motion and proposed remedies would require the U.S. EPA and Ohio to live up to their commitments under Annex 4 of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement to reduce phosphorus pollution by 40% by 2025. We’re looking ahead to a court decision soon. We’re also expanding our innovative CAFO monitoring campaign to reduce manure pollution runoff in Michigan and Wisconsin.

2. Protecting the Great Lakes and Safe Clean Water for All
Following 5+ years of advocacy by ELPC and many coalition partners, Gov. Whitmer withdrew Enbridge’s easement for its aging Line 5 oil pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac. The unacceptable risks of a tragic oil spill in the Great Lakes should end. In addition, ELPC’s sustained advocacy for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative resulted in Congress increased funding to $335 million with a pathway to $475 million by 2026.

3. Accelerating Climate Change Solutions through Solar and Energy Storage
ELPC’s advocacy is focused at the state public utilities commissions to remove market barriers and advance policies to incentivize solar energy acceleration. We’re advancing net metering and better solar valuation policies for distributed rooftop solar and community solar generation to achieve “solar for all.”

4. More Coal Plants Bite the Dust
Vistra announced it will close nine coal plants in Illinois, including the old, highly polluting Edwards coal plant in Peoria, plus two more coal plants in Ohio. In Iowa, Alliant Energy will close its Lansing coal plant in 2022, and in Indiana, the Rockport coal plant will retire by 2028. No more subsidies for uneconomic coal plants.

5. Saving the Midwest’s Vital Natural Resources
ELPC’s top-rate team of public interest attorneys are hard at work in the courts and public agencies to protect the Midwest’s most special places. We’re representing the Driftless Area Land Conservancy and Wisconsin Wildlife Federation to protect Wisconsin’s scenic Driftless Area. We’re representing Friends of the Headwaters in challenging the relocation of Enbridge’s Line 3 oil pipeline through the Mississippi River Headwaters in Northern Minnesota.

ELPC is all in for the environment. Please donate and join ELPC in advancing positive environmental solutions for people, our communities and our planet. Donate now and your gift will be doubled.

Best wishes for a happy and healthy new year!

Howard A. Learner
Executive Director
Environmental Law & Policy Center

PS. Donating to ELPC is a smart investment. We’re proud to once again earn Charity Navigator’s exceptional 4-Star Rating, and GuideStar’s highest Platinum Rating.