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Environmental Law & Policy Center

@elpcenter

We advocate, innovate, and litigate to protect the Midwest’s environment.

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21.11.2024
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Latest posts by Environmental Law & Policy Center @elpcenter

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Consumers warns Michigan: Dams could be torn down unless utility sells them - Bridge Michigan Critics warn the deal lacks safeguards to protect ratepayers and the public. But utility officials said they’d sooner decommission the dams than negotiate new terms.

Consumers Energy says regulators must approve its plan to sell 13 Michigan dams to private equity as-is or the utility will decommission them.

Customers deserve better than an all-or-nothing ultimatum.

https://act.elpc.org/4ltdO4F

04.03.2026 21:31 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Affordable Alternatives to Pricey Gas Line Replacements People's Gas should only do pipe replacement as the last resort, ensuring that lower cost, lower risk alternatives have been reasonably ruled out.

Chicago families are already stretched by rising utility bills. Now People’s Gas wants to more than double annual spending on pipe replacements, locking in higher costs for decades.

There are lower-cost, safer alternatives. Pipe replacement should be a last resort.

https://act.elpc.org/47gteD5

03.03.2026 19:15 👍 1 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
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US plans to clear-cut in Michigan forest. Some fear for endangered species - Bridge Michigan The US Forest Service is proposing a project in the Ottawa National Forest in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula that would involve logging, gravel mining expansion and forest restoration efforts.

A massive logging project in the Ottawa National Forest could impact endangered species and remove mature forests that help stabilize our climate. We are urging a closer environmental review before this moves forward.

https://act.elpc.org/4snEWUT

02.03.2026 17:56 👍 3 🔁 4 💬 1 📌 0
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EPA Dismantles Protections for Mercury and Air Toxics From Power Plants | ELPC

Breaking: Trump’s EPA just repealed updated Mercury & Air Toxics Standards, allowing coal plants to emit more mercury, heavy metals & soot.

With so many coal plants in the Midwest, our communities will feel the impact.

We will fight to defend clean air.

https://act.elpc.org/4rTQ6QW

20.02.2026 17:42 👍 0 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
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Hydro deal would let private buyer flip Consumers Energy dams In testimony, Michigan utility regulators say the proposed sale of 13 hydro dams to a Maryland private equity firm includes no ban on future resale or requirements to operate dams for the full 30-year...

Consumers Energy wants to sell 13 dams for $1 each.

Testimony before the Michigan Public Service Commission confirms the private equity buyer could turn around and resell them.

Michigan’s rivers aren’t assets to flip.

https://act.elpc.org/4tFWXyU

16.02.2026 17:18 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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The Trump administration just repealed the Endangerment Finding. The scientific determination that greenhouse gases endanger public health.

Repealing it would strike at the foundation of federal climate protections and pave the way for sweeping deregulation.

https://act.elpc.org/4tE19iY

12.02.2026 20:05 👍 2 🔁 3 💬 0 📌 1
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MI Conservation Groups File Expert Testimony Opposing Consumers Energy’s Proposed Dams Sale to Private Equity Firm | Environmental Law & Policy Center

Conservation groups are urging regulators to stop a risky private equity deal to sell 13 dams on five of the state’s most important rivers for just $1 each.

https://act.elpc.org/4kCP7SH

10.02.2026 16:58 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Illinois Regulators Center Affordability for Customers in Landmark Utility Decisions | ELPC

Big win for Illinois energy customers.⚡️

State regulators are requiring ComEd and Ameren Illinois to do more to keep energy bills affordable. Utilities must cut unnecessary costs and deliver real value for customers, not just profits.

https://act.elpc.org/4rxukC8

09.02.2026 21:47 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Tell U.S. DOT: Keep strong fuel economy standards for cars and trucks. The Trump administration is proposing to roll back federal fuel economy standards for cars and trucks. These standards, known as Corporate Average Fuel Economy or CAFE standards, save drivers money, r...

The Trump administration is rolling back fuel economy standards that help cars use less gas and reduce pollution. If finalized, drivers will pay more at the pump and emissions will increase.

The deadline to comment is tomorrow. Speak up now: https://act.elpc.org/4qMAhuD

03.02.2026 21:45 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Stricter ballast rules on freighters demanded to protect Great Lakes from invasive species To prevent further spread of potentially catastrophic invasive species in the Great Lakes, the Canadian government is moving forward with tighter restrictions on all freighters. But standards final…

The Great Lakes don’t need more invasive species. But ballast water from freighters can move zebra mussels from port to port. Canada is stepping up. U.S. standards still exempt most existing ships.

https://act.elpc.org/4k8UoB6

02.02.2026 17:05 👍 2 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
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Environmental, Consumer Groups Challenge Trump’s Unlawful Coal Plant Extensions | ELPC

Trump’s DOE is forcing old coal plants in Northwest Indiana to stay open.

Families and businesses will pay more on their electric bills. Once again, consumers are footing the bill for unnecessary coal.

https://act.elpc.org/3LKcm0e

23.01.2026 17:30 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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🚨 Action needed today. Congress is voting on HJR 140, which could strip protections from 225,000+ acres near the Boundary Waters and open the watershed to toxic sulfide mining. Speak up now: https://www.friends-bwca.org/take-action-no-renewal-of-bwca-mineral-leases/

21.01.2026 15:02 👍 9 🔁 10 💬 1 📌 4
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Opinion | This Is Why Our Rivers Are Turning Into Sewers The solution to pollution from industrial livestock farms is not to ban them or even to restrict their size. It's to regulate them.

A new NYT Opinion looks at how factory farms pollute our water and air while avoiding basic oversight. We’re working across the Midwest to protect clean water and hold industrial polluters accountable.

https://act.elpc.org/4sPr7iN

20.01.2026 19:07 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Illinois bets on virtual power plants to ease electric grid strain and costs VPPs tap into everyday home technologies, including solar panels and batteries, by transmitting excess stored energy to the grid.

Illinois is modernizing how we power our economy. Virtual power plants can help meet rising electricity demand while keeping costs down by using energy from homes and businesses during peak hours. A cleaner, smarter grid is within reach.

https://act.elpc.org/3LJoNcB

15.01.2026 23:09 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Editorial: A Supreme Court ruling has put Illinois’ wetlands at risk. Springfield should respond. When the U.S. Supreme Court overturned long-standing federal protections for wetlands, some states were left without any wetlands regulation. Illinois is one of them.

The Supreme Court’s Sackett ruling narrowed Clean Water Act protections, leaving Illinois wetlands exposed. A new Chicago Tribune editorial makes clear JB Pritzker and Illinois lawmakers must act now.

https://act.elpc.org/45WwnY7

15.01.2026 15:15 👍 3 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
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New EPA Proposal Would Strip States’ and Tribes’ Authority to Block Oil and Gas Pipelines, Other Infrastructure Projects - Inside Climate News Environmental advocates warn the changes deprive states and tribes of their rights and weaken freshwater-quality protections.

New EPA rule would limit states' and tribes' ability to protect waterways from infrastructure projects, including pipelines and facilities tied to AI.

By narrowing reviews and speeding approvals, the rule could leave more streams, wetlands, and drinking water at risk.

https://act.elpc.org/49lLM6B

14.01.2026 18:55 👍 0 🔁 2 💬 0 📌 0
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Tell U.S. DOT: Keep strong fuel economy standards for cars and trucks. The Trump administration is proposing to roll back federal fuel economy standards for cars and trucks. These standards, known as Corporate Average Fuel Economy or CAFE standards, save drivers money, r...

Fuel economy standards cut pollution and save drivers money at the pump. Rolling them back would mean higher gas bills, more oil use, and dirtier air.
 
Speak up for these common-sense standards and submit a public comment today:
act.elpc.org/4qMAhuD

13.01.2026 18:11 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Environmental & Community Orgs File Lawsuit to Stop Trump Exemptions from Air Pollution Rules for Steel Industry Coke Ovens - CleanTechnica Support CleanTechnica's work through a Substack subscription or on Stripe. WASHINGTON, D.C. — Community, health, and environmental groups filed a lawsuit today challenging the Trump administration’s e...

Impacted communities are fighting back against new rules from the Trump administration that would allow polluting coke ovens to continue to produce steel. 1/3

cleantechnica.com/2025/12/22/e...

12.01.2026 19:56 👍 1 🔁 2 💬 1 📌 0

Rolling back fuel efficiency standards will not save drivers money. For Ohio families, it means higher gas costs, and more oil burned.

Fuel efficiency has lowered everyday transportation costs for decades. Going backwards hurts consumers and our air.

https://act.elpc.org/49MB08z

06.01.2026 16:47 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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$30,000 Match! Donate today to double your impact! Contributions to ELPC made by December 31 will be MATCHED up to $30,000. Plus, you'll get a chance to win an amazing Traverse City Getaway. *

Big end-of-year news: ELPC Board Members have unlocked a $30,000 MATCH, doubling every gift made by December 31.

Your donation goes twice as far to protect clean water, defend the Great Lakes, and support healthier Midwest communities.

Donate before year’s end: https://act.elpc.org/4jj4RK8

29.12.2025 16:47 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Environmental Groups Challenge EPA Final Rule on Vessels Discharging Invasives in the Great Lakes | Environmental Law & Policy Center

Protecting the Great Lakes means stopping invasive species at the source.

We’re challenging a final rule from the U.S. EPA that lets most existing cargo vessels avoid modern ballast water treatment, allowing invasive species to spread between ports.

https://act.elpc.org/495fQ53

22.12.2025 17:45 👍 12 🔁 5 💬 0 📌 4
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Tell EPA: Don't Rollback Wetland and Waterway Protections The Trump administration has proposed a rule that weakens the Clean Water Act and removes critical protections for wetlands, streams, and other waterways.

EPA wants to weaken the Clean Water Act and remove protections from wetlands and streams. Most Midwest wetlands are already gone, and those that remain protect water quality, reduce flooding, and support irreplaceable ecosystems.

📢 Make your voice heard by Jan 5th: https://act.elpc.org/48KhOHI

17.12.2025 20:40 👍 4 🔁 2 💬 0 📌 0
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Michigan data center developments raise concerns over water and power use Over a year, a large-scale data center can use more water than the equivalent of 10,000 Americans.

As big tech data centers expand in Michigan, a key question remains: who pays the cost? These facilities use enormous amounts of power and water, and local residents should not subsidize some of the most profitable companies in the world.

https://act.elpc.org/4oYLwiy

16.12.2025 16:42 👍 2 🔁 1 💬 1 📌 0
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Iowa’s US Reps Vote Yes to Repeal Clean Water Protections with the PERMIT Act | Environmental Law & Policy Center

The House passed the PERMIT Act, a bill that weakens the Clean Water Act and opens the door to more pollution in waterways nationwide.

All four Iowa House members voted yes, despite Iowa’s water pollution crisis. This vote puts polluters first and clean water at risk.

https://act.elpc.org/4j4M1Gu

15.12.2025 22:17 👍 2 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
ELPC 2025 Winter Update
ELPC 2025 Winter Update YouTube video by Environmental Law & Policy Center

As we head into 2026, the Midwest faces real environmental threats and real opportunities. ELPC is meeting this moment with strong legal advocacy and smart policy.

Watch our end-of-year update from CEO Howard Learner:
https://act.elpc.org/4iTyfWQ

15.12.2025 18:02 👍 3 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Stop EPA’s Rollback of Wetland and Waterway Protections The Trump administration wants to weaken the Clean Water Act and expose wetlands and waterways to more pollution.

The Trump administration is moving to weaken the Clean Water Act and remove protections from wetlands and streams across the country. That means more pollution, higher flooding risks, and fewer safeguards for the water people rely on.

Speak up to protect our waters.

https://act.elpc.org/48KhOHI

10.12.2025 19:12 👍 4 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
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Stop the PERMIT Act and the SPEED Act Protect clean water, clean air, and communities from dangerous bills that empower polluters. We need your voice now.

Congress is pushing two bills that give polluters more power and weaken protections for clean water and clean air. The PERMIT Act and SPEED Act would mean more pollution and less oversight.

Tell your Representative to oppose both bills: https://act.elpc.org/3KKsrCu

08.12.2025 20:15 👍 2 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
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ELPC Condemns Attack on Fuel Economy Standards for Cars, Light Trucks | ELPC

The Trump Administration just announced plans to weaken fuel economy standards for cars. That means more oil burned, higher fuel costs for families, and more pollution driving the climate crisis.

https://act.elpc.org/3MebosV

03.12.2025 22:08 👍 1 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
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Triple Your Impact This Giving Tuesday! Your gift will be TRIPLED up to $70,000 thanks to a Giving Tuesday Match from generous ELPC donors. As federal attacks on the environment grow, ELPC is stepping up to defend the places that matter mo...

This Giving Tuesday, every dollar donated is going three times as far for the Midwest. ELPC’s $70,000 TRIPLE MATCH is live until midnight.

Triple your impact for clean water, clean air, climate progress, and the Great Lakes!

Give before midnight: https://act.elpc.org/3M2ZwKn

#GivingTuesday

02.12.2025 14:45 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Publicly owned intercity bus station offers dignity for travelers on tight budgets We need affordable and accessible bus service now more than ever to maintain our social fabric. Also, ICE targeting homeless people, youth programs, Blue Line attack, hemp ban, fishing, police, Border...

Chicago buying and renovating the intercity bus station is an important step toward improving sustainable travel options. A public station will bring multiple carriers together and strengthens a lifeline that thousands of riders across the Midwest depend on every day.

https://act.elpc.org/4ojITHB

26.11.2025 17:15 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0