December 2019 E News
ELPC Beats Back Trump EPA Attempt to Dismiss our Lake Erie Lawsuit ([link removed])
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ELPC is fighting for clean water in Lake Erie, pushing EPA and Ohio to follow the law and put a limit on pollution, also known as a TMDL. This month, U.S. District Court Judge James Carr sided with ELPC and rejected EPA’s motion to dismiss with a detailed 31-page Opinion. The Judge wrote that the Ohio EPA, “is essentially delaying, and intends to continue to delay indefinitely, a TMDL for western Lake Erie in favor of alleged half measures.” And continues, “even more significantly, perhaps, Ohio does not have a plan to change course should those measures fail to remediate Lake Erie.” We now move to the summary judgment phase of the case and a final decision on the merits. For more info, please read: The Toledo Blade ([link removed]) , Cleveland NPR
([link removed]) , Associated Press ([link removed]) , Sandusky Register ([link removed]) , and this in-depth article from The Chicago Tribune ([link removed]) about the algae problem in Lake Erie.

ELPC Report Finds Delays in Levee Monitoring and Repairs Along the Mississippi River ([link removed])

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ELPC gathered data from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) National Levee Database and found many levees at high or moderate risk of breaching. Some levees that were damaged during the heavy flooding this spring along the Upper Mississippi River have yet to be repaired. Scientists have already recorded about a 9% increase in annual precipitation over the past few decades and anticipate heavy rain events to increase Midwestern flooding risk as global temperatures rise. This report highlights the need for decision makers to take climate resilience into account for long-term planning, to prioritize which levees are repaired given limited federal and state funds, and to shift toward green infrastructure solutions. Read the report here ([link removed]) and see this Chicago Tribune ([link removed]) article on the impact of this issue in
Southern Illinois.

New ELPC Supply Chain Report Finds Clean Energy Abounds in Michigan ([link removed])

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ELPC found over 300 Michigan companies engaged in the clean energy business supply chain this year, from small towns to big cities, Marquette to Muskegon, Hemlock to Holland. ELPC’s new report provides an update to the previous 2015 Michigan Supply Chain Report, with a directory of solar energy and wind power companies, a set of targeted policy recommendations, and company profiles. In a Crain’s Detroit Op-Ed ([link removed]) , Howard Learner said, “Smart policies make a difference. To keep growing Michigan jobs and businesses in the renewable energy supply chain, Michigan should keep advancing supportive policies to help drive the market.” Check out the map of state-wide businesses and read the full report here ([link removed]) .


Victory! Illinois’ Edwards Coal Plant Closure Plan Finalized ([link removed])

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In the fight for clean air and water, ELPC is in it for the long haul. After years of legal work, we can now definitively say that polluting days are numbered for the old Edwards coal plant in Peoria, IL. This month, U.S. District Court Judge Billy McDade (Central District of IL) approved a settlement in ELPC’s longstanding Clean Air Act enforcement litigation against Vistra/Dynegy. The Edwards coal plant will be retired in 2022, and the settlement also provides substantial funding for employee job retraining, environmental remediation, and public health projects. Howard Learner said, “The people of Peoria and the surrounding region are the winners today. They will gain cleaner air and public health once this highly polluting coal plant is retired in 2022. ELPC is proud of our legal work as outside counsel for the Sierra Club and the RHA.” Additionally, ELPC advocacy is helping lead to the shutdown of four other Vistra coal plants in Central/Southern Illinois by December 31^st. All
combined, these efforts will mean about 2,500 MW of coal plant shutdowns in Illinois (about 25% of the overall MW) and thousands of tons of carbon taken out of the atmosphere each year. See additional media coverage here ([link removed]) .

ELPC NEWS CENTER

ELPC Blog ([link removed]) : Censoring Science at the EPA Threatens Public Health

The Cleveland Scene: ([link removed]) The Clean Water Act's Legacy for the Ohio River

Public News Service: ([link removed]) ND Supreme Court to Decide Fate of Refinery Near National Park

ELPC Blog ([link removed]) : Chicago Needs Electric CTA Buses for Clean Air

Bloomberg Law ([link removed]) : Environmentalists Join EPA-California Fight Over Car Rules

Columbus Dispatch ([link removed]) : What Will Happen to Murray Energy Mines if Company Goes Out of Business?

Energy News Network ([link removed]) : Murray Energy Bankruptcy Renews Fears about Ohio’s Mine Reclamation Fund

ELPC Blog ([link removed]) : Update on the Fight Against Ozone – ELPC’s Day in Court

UPCOMING EVENTS
Wisconsin Water Poll Results Release – December 11
ELPC’s sister organization ELPC Action Fund is releasing the results of a new poll next week of 601 voters in southwest Wisconsin. This poll was done to understand how much voters in this important area know about water quality issues, to gauge their support for regulations to protect safe clean drinking water, and to understand how these issues might impact voter’s opinions at the ballot box. The results are promising. We will be having a telephone briefing outlining the results on Wednesday, December 11^th at 11am CT. If you are interested in listening in, please RSVP here. ([link removed])

Thank you for making this year’s Giving Tuesday ELPC’s most successful ever. We raised almost $30,000 in one day! We know there’s a lot of work to do in 2020, and ELPC is stepping up with climate change solutions and fighting to protect the Midwest environment. If you missed out on Giving Tuesday it’s not too late to get your donation matched dollar-for-dollar. Patagonia is matching individual gifts to ELPC up to $10,000 each. Please donate here ([link removed]) and share with your friends who care about the environment.
NEW STAFF
Jovito Alvarez is ELPC’s new Accountant, as successor to Susan O’Connell who will retire at the end of the year. Mr. Alvarez was the Finance Manager at Steppenwolf Theater Company, and previously worked at the American Bar Association, America’s Second Harvest, and Girl Scouts of Chicago. J.D. & B.S., Far Eastern University, Manila, Philippines.
WE'RE HIRING
Development Major Gifts Officer ([link removed])
Public Interest M.B.A. Sustainable Business Fellow ([link removed])
ELPC Science & Policy Intern ([link removed])

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