Sunlight Seeker
Look up national or state donors or check where your Congresspeople are getting their money.
| July 2008 |
| Sun |
Mon |
Tue |
Wed |
Thu |
Fri |
Sat |
|
|
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
|
13
|
14
|
15
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
19
|
|
20
|
21
|
22
|
23
|
24
|
25
|
26
|
|
27
|
28
|
29
|
30
|
31
|
Liz Eisen - Sat 11 Oct 2008 10:12 AM CDT
Tojo8817 - Fri 03 Oct 2008 08:35 PM CDT
Marilyn Walker - Fri 03 Oct 2008 12:51 PM CDT
Brent - Mon 29 Sep 2008 02:55 PM CDT
audiored - Sat 27 Sep 2008 10:34 PM CDT
|
Saturday, July 12
Opponents File Expert Finance Testimony: Sutherland 4 the Most Expensive Coal Plant In the Country
by
Sam Garchik
on Sat 12 Jul 2008 12:00 PM CDT
Opponents File Expert Finance Testimony: Sutherland 4 the Most Expensive Coal Plant In the Country
By Plains Justice
An independent financial expert testifying for a coalition of Iowa clean energy, environment, farm and public health organizations says that Alliant Energy's proposed Marshalltown coal plant will be the most expensive in the country and gouge ratepayers for decades to come.
Soon, the Iowa Utilities Board will determine the rates that Alliant subsidiary Interstate Power and Light (IPL) can earn on its proposed Sutherland 4 power plant in Marshalltown. According to Thomas Sanzillo, IPL hasn't addressed four major risks sufficiently: the cost of construction, weak demand, likely regulation of greenhouse gases in the near future, and the rising price of coal.
"The company has decided to place the risk for this plant squarely on the ratepayers. This is costly for Iowans, and in the long-term risky for shareholders," Sanzillo said. He is a former First Deputy Comptroller for New York State who has reviewed the management and operation of the New York Power Authority and the Long Island Power Authority and supervised New York State's $150 billion public investment fund.
"IPL's plan could double the cost of electricity consumers pay to keep the Marshalltown plant solvent." Sanzillo said. "This does not mean the monthly household bill doubles. It does mean a stiff monthly increase. This is not the time to build a coal plant. There are just too many risks and the plant is not needed."
IPL is asking for the highest rate of return on equity—that is, the annual return on an investment an investor can expect to receive—of any new generating plant currently under review, reflecting their concern about the substantial financial risks of the project.
IPL's cost estimates for its 660 MW plant are confidential, but Sanzillo's public testimony states that it may be the most expensive coal plant in the United States.
"The final cost of this plant cannot be projected with any certainty," says Sanzillo. " What is certain is, all of the most important costs are rising at the same time. Construction prices. Coal costs. And the costs of carbon dioxide, the major contributor to global warming, are all rising."
"It's a real insult to consumers to pour billions into an unneeded coal plant, then make us pay huge fuel and regulatory costs on it for the next 50 years, when for less money we could implement aggressive energy efficiency measures that would decrease demand, encourage innovation, and pump money into the state's economy," said attorney Carrie La Seur, president of Cedar Rapids environmental law center Plains Justice and counsel for the intervenors.
Sanzillo also counters IPL's claim that the plant is needed to meet future demand, saying that IPL does not base its projections on actual electricity usage. IPL forecasts a surge in demand between 2010 and 2030, but Sanzillo points out that the U.S. Census Bureau predicts a decline in Iowa's population during that time. IPL also counts on an increase in industrial demand from new ethanol plants, but many facilities have stopped or abandoned construction since the plant was proposed, as predicted by the intervenors' previous witnesses.
"Even IPL acknowledges that the need for the plant has diminished," Sanzillo said. "IPL has made important gains in its energy efficiency program. Utilities, government at all levels and citizen groups across the country are using this kind of achievement to do more. IPL is well positioned to do the same."
With greenhouse gas regulation on the horizon, Sanzillo testified that the cost of retrofitting the plant with carbon capture and storage technology could be enormous, further driving up the price Iowans pay for electricity.
The intervenors (Community Energy Solutions, Iowa Environmental Council, Iowa Farmers Union, Iowa Renewable Energy Association, and Physicians for Social Responsibility Iowa Chapter) argue that energy efficiency has received short shrift in IPL's planning.
Sanzillo points to Pacific Gas & Electric, one of the largest utility companies in the country, as a role model. PG&E plans to decrease its overall electricity usage by 2,500 MW in the next ten years, meeting 50% or more of its demand growth simply through improved energy efficiency. PG&E has achieved enough savings from its past efforts to avoid 24 power plants.
[Public version of Sanzillo's testimony available upon request.]
--
Carrie La Seur, Ph.D., J.D.
President and Founder
Plains Justice
100 First Street SW
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52404
Work: 319-362-2120
Fax: 866-484-2373http://www.plainsjustice.org
Saturday, January 12
Jan. 16 and 17 coal plant speaker events, Des Moines and Iowa City
by
Sam Garchik
on Sat 12 Jan 2008 09:10 AM CST
Jan. 16 and 17 coal plant speaker events, Des Moines and Iowa City
By Plains Justice
"At a January Iowa Utilities Board hearing, an
impressive slate of experts will testify that the proposed Marshalltown
coal plant would be a costly mistake. Iowa's renewable energy
revolution is the answer for our power needs, not a $1.5 billion
investment in 19th century technology."
- Carrie La Seur, President, Plains Justice
Plains Justice, Environmental Advocates, Physicians for Social
Responsibility and Sierra Club invite you to meet these experts.
Join Dr. James Hansen, Director of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space
Studies, speaking as a private citizen, along with six other nationally
recognized experts on global warming, public health, energy
conservation, alternative energy and economic sustainability. Dr.
Hansen, Dr. Neil Harl, Tom Sanzillo, Dr. Kristen Welker-Hood, Scudder
Parker, David Schlissel and Dr. Ezra Hausman will summarize their
testimony and take questions from the audience.
A new poll
shows that Iowans want an energy policy that safeguards our
grandchildren's future, not cheap short-term fixes with devastating
long-term consequences. Iowans have the vision and common sense to see
the economic opportunity in alternative energy, efficiency and
conservation, which keep our communities and our world healthy and
sustainable.
Join us at one of these two events and be a part of Iowa's clean energy future
Wednesday, January 16th
State Historical Society of Iowa
600 East Locust Street
Des Moines, Iowa
Moderator, Senator Rob Hogg
7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Thursday, January 17th
Old Brick Community Center
26 E. Market St
Iowa City, Iowa
Moderator, Professor Craig Just
7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
You Are Also Invited to a Plains Justice Fundraiser Before the Iowa City Speaker Event:
Thursday, January 17th,
Old Brick Community Center,
26 E. Market St., Iowa City, Iowa,
5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
$15 per person, $25 per couple, $10 Seniors and Students
Beverages and hors d'uvres will be served
RSVP to plainsjustice116@mchsi.com
Plains Justice is an environmental justice law center based in Cedar
Rapids. Our founding in 2006 was in part a response to a nationwide
rush to build 150+ coal burning power plants, the biggest industrial
source of global warming gases. Forty-two have been proposed in the
Midwest alone. We have had some great successes as we challenge
proposed plants in Waterloo and Marshalltown, Iowa; Big Stone City,
South Dakota; and Gascoyne and South Heart, North Dakota
Finding alternatives to coal plants means working hard to create
solutions. Our new Clean Energy Ambassador project, for example, will
help small utilities improve their bottom line by implementing proven,
cost-effective energy efficiency programs that lower bills.
This is a real fight to safeguard our grandchildren's future. The
health and sustainability of our communities and our world are at
stake. Stand with us as we work for truly clean energy, not
short-sighted fixes with disastrous long-term consequences.
--
Carrie La Seur, Ph.D., J.D.
President
Plains Justice
100 First Street SW
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52404
Work: 319-362-2120
Fax: 866-484-2373
http://www.plainsjustice.org
Thursday, December 20
IOWA SURVEY: COAL-FIRED POWER PLANT FREEZE FAVORED BY TWO-THIRDS OF MOST LIKELY CAUCUS GOERS, OTHER STATE RESIDENTS
by
Sam Garchik
on Thu 20 Dec 2007 11:29 AM CST
IOWA SURVEY: COAL-FIRED POWER PLANT FREEZE FAVORED BY TWO-THIRDS OF MOST LIKELY CAUCUS GOERS, OTHER STATE RESIDENTS
By Plains Justice
Echoing Coal Roll Backs in KS and FL, 4 Out of 5 State Residents Favor More Energy Conservation Over New Coal-Fired Plants; Groups Call on Gov. Culver to Lead the Way.
Listen to news event audio link
Download full survey report (PDF)
DES MOINES, IA.///December 20, 2007///Sending a clear message to state officials and presidential candidates, nearly four out of five Iowans (79 percent) –- including 69 percent of Republicans, 86 percent of Democrats and 79 percent of Independents – think that “Iowa should focus on increased (energy) conservation steps and more fuel efficiency to reduce demand for electricity before it constructs new coal-fired power plants,” according to a major new Opinion Research Corporation (ORC) survey commissioned by Iowa Interfaith Power & Light, Iowa Farmers Union and Plains Justice. Supporters of the “conservation/energy efficiency first” approach include 75 percent of the most likely caucus attendees, including 67 percent who will attend Republican caucuses and 88 percent who will participate in Democratic caucuses.
As other states including Kansas and Florida take active steps to roll back plans for coal-fired power plants within their borders, Iowa officials are contemplating the future of two such facilities proposed for construction near Waterloo and Marshalltown.
Another key finding of the ORC survey of 1,005 Iowa residents: Two thirds of likely Iowa caucus goers and 65 percent of all state residents – including 58 percent of Republicans, 71 percent of Democrats and 67 percent of Independents – favor a “one-year-long statewide dialogue in Iowa involving state officials, citizens, unions and utility company regulators to help shape the energy future of Iowa during which current coal-fired power plant plans would be frozen to allow for the most comprehensive discussion.”
The survey commissioned by Iowa Interfaith Power & Light, the Iowa Farmer’s Union and Plains Justice also found that roughly nine out of 10 Iowans (89 percent) – including a nearly identical 88 percent of Republicans, 89 percent of Democrats and 88 percent of Independents — agree that “the state government of Iowa, as a matter of formal policy, encourage more public and private investment in alternative energy to help create new jobs in the state.”
Commenting on behalf of Iowa Interfaith Power & Light about the new survey findings, Bishop Alan Scarfe of the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa said: “With all our eyes focused on the disappointing response of the United States administration to the conversation and conclusions of the Bali meeting, this is an opportunity for our own Governor of Iowa to demonstrate that many Iowans are among the people within the United States who nevertheless understand the deeper implications of the crisis upon us. From the perspective of the religious communities, the recently proposed coal-fired power plants threaten rather than assist our progress towards renewable energy. The intention of placing them in the demographics of our most at-risk individuals, Marshalltown with its large Latino population, and Waterloo with its greater number of African Americans may have the appearance of providing employment, but at great cost to the health of the participants, as well as the families in the proposed areas. Iowans have shown in this poll that they want time for discussions at the highest level of public representation”
Iowa Farm Union President Chris Petersen said: “In a time of skyrocketing energy costs, Iowa Farmers Union supports legislation that promotes the advancement of renewable energy technology to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and fossil fuels and gives farmers the opportunity to own the means of production.”
Carrie La Seur, president, Plains Justice, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and a member of the Iowa Power Fund Board said: “At a January Iowa Utilities Board hearing, an impressive slate of national experts will testify that the proposed Marshalltown coal plant would be a costly mistake. Iowa’s renewable energy revolution is the answer for our power needs, not a $1.5 billion investment in 19th Century technology. We call on the governor to protect Iowa’s investment by giving our energy and climate planning processes a chance to work before we permit any new coal plants.”
Graham Hueber, senior research, Opinion Research Corporation said: “These findings are bad news for people who want to build coal-fired power plants in Iowa. The survey clearly shows that majorities of Democratic and Republican caucus goers – as well as other Iowa adults – would prefer to see an alternative that does not involve putting new coal-fired power plants in the state. We find strong support here for enhanced energy conservation and a major infusion of state and private investment dollars in clean energy. It is also evident that health concerns associated with power plant pollution are seen as a legitimate public health issue, particularly when it comes to children.”
KEY SURVEY FINDINGS
The ORC survey conducted for Iowa Interfaith Power & Light, the Iowa Farmer’s Union and Plains Justice also found the following:
* More than three out of five Iowans (64 percent) – including 73 percent of Democrats, 54 percent of Republicans and 68 percent of Independents agree with the following statement: “ … the best energy alternative is greater efficiency and conservation to eliminate waste, combined with more wind, solar power and other alternative energy … doing this would ultimately save money in the form of economic benefits to the state, such as cleaner air, healthier children, and fewer public health risks. Therefore, we should not build additional coal-fired power plants in Iowa.”
* More than three in five of Iowans (62 percent) are “concerned about the possible ill health effects - including asthma and heart problems - that could be experienced by you, your family members and others as the result of increased pollution from new coal-fired power plants in Iowa.” This figure includes less than half (48 percent) of Republicans, but 73 percent of Democrats. Three out of four individuals indicating that they will attend a Democratic caucus expressed concern about this issue.
* Three out of four Iowans –- including 61 percent of Republicans, 86 percent of Democrats, and 75 percent of Independents — are less likely to support new coal-fired power plants when told: “Coal-fired power plants are the primary source of carbon dioxide pollution - a known contributor to global warming.” This view is shared by 72 percent of those most likely to attend a caucus, including 60 percent of those attending a Republican caucus and 85 percent of those attending a Democratic caucus.
* More than three out of four Iowans (77 percent) -– including 68 percent of Republicans, 84 percent of Democrats and 79 percent of Independents — are less likely to support new coal-fired power plants in the state when told: “Much of the power generated at the new coal-fired plants in Iowa would be sold to out of state customers but Iowa would get all or nearly all of the resulting pollution.”
* More than three out of four Iowans (77 percent) –- including 69 percent of Republicans, 85 percent of Democrats and 74 percent of Independents — are less likely to support new coal-fired power plants when told: “Hundreds of thousands of children live in Iowa within a 30-mile-radius of a coal-fired power plant.” This view is shared by 75 percent of the most likely caucus attendees, including 68 percent of Republican attendees and 84 percent of Democratic attendees.
* Fewer than one in three Iowans (31 percent) –- including only 42 percent of Republicans, 23 percent of Democrats and 28 percent of Independents — see “access to affordable electricity” as a sufficient justification for building new coal fired power plants in the state.
* Four out five Iowans -– including 71 percent of Republicans, 87 percent of Democrats, and 86 percent of Independents – think that older, “grandfathered” power plants should be required to “install the advanced pollution control devices required for new electricity-generating facilities” before new coal-fired power plants are built” in the state. This view is shared by 79 percent of the most likely caucus attendees, including 67 percent of Republican attendees and 88 percent of Democratic attendees.
* Only about two out of five Iowans (42 percent) say they favor “building new coal-fired power plants in the state,” compared to a total of 58 percent who either oppose new plants or have not yet made up their mind. Only about a third (34 percent) of Democrats favor new plants, compared with 43 percent who oppose them and 23 percent who have not decided. Over half of Republicans (55 percent) support new plants, with 27 percent opposed and 18 percent undecided. Fewer than two in four Independents (38 percent) support new coal-fired power plants, compared to 33 percent who oppose them and 28 percent who are undecided.
* Fewer than two out of five Iowans (37 percent) are aware of “pending plans for coal-fired power plants in Iowa near Waterloo and Marshalltown.” Awareness varies widely by region with 64 percent of those in the Cedar Rapids area (which includes Waterloo) knowing of such plan, 34 percent awareness in Des Moines (closer to Marshalltown) and only 22 percent in the rest of the state.
* A third of respondents said that they will “definitely attend” or are “extremely likely” to attend a caucus, including 31 percent of Republicans and 40 percent of Democrats.
* 39 percent of the respondents were Republican/Independents leaning Republican, 47 percent were Democrats/Independents leaning Democratic, 37 percent were Independents, and 2 percent were associated with other parties.
* About nine out of 10 respondents (89 percent) said they are registered to vote.
For full survey findings, go to http://plainsjustice.org/filings-for-marshalltown-iowa-coal-plant-proposal/ on the Web.
METHODOLOGY
Survey results are based on telephone interviews conducted among a representative sample of 1,005 adults aged 18 and over living in private households in Iowa. Interviewing was completed by Opinion Research Corporation during the period of December 7-11, 2007. The margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points for the complete sample of Iowa adults. Smaller sub-groups will have larger error margins.
ABOUT THE GROUPS
Iowa Interfaith Power & Light (http://www.ncrlc.com/IICEC.html) is part of a national network dedicated to protecting God’s sacred creation and safeguarding public health. Iowa Interfaith Power & Light has worked with more than 150 faith communities in Iowa to reduce global warming pollution while empowering those most impacted by higher energy costs, by increasing investment in energy efficiency and by creating new revenue streams through clean energy.
The Iowa Farmers Union (http://www.iafu.org) works to sustain and strengthen the family farm agricultural system in the United States through education, legislation and cooperation.
With headquarters in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Plains Justice (http://www.plainsjustice.org) is a public interest environmental law center working for environmental justice and sustainable communities in the Northern Plains region of the U.S., including eastern Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa. The Plains Justice docket includes Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and energy policy work.
CONTACT: Ailis Aaron Wolf, (703) 276-3265, and aaaron@hastingsgroup.com.
EDITOR’S NOTE: A streaming audio recording of the news event will be available on the Web as of 7 p.m. CT/8 p.m. ET on December 20, 2007 at http://plainsjustice.org/filings-for-marshalltown-iowa-coal-plant-proposal/.
Tuesday, December 4
Environmental Caucuses in December
by
Sam Garchik
on Tue 04 Dec 2007 09:49 AM CST
Environmental Caucuses in December
By Plains Justice
ENVIRONMENTAL CAUCUSES PLANNED ACROSS IOWA
Environmental caucuses are happening across Iowa in December to bring a grassroots voice on environmental and public health concerns to state and national leaders. In the run-up to the presidential caucuses and the start of the 2008 legislative session, Iowa is ripe for a serious dialogue about how to organize on the local level to achieve big goals on clean air and water, as well as tackling local concerns like lead paint and contaminated industrial sites. Many people who don't consider themselves environmentalists have concerns about everything from their drinking water to global warming. This is an opportunity for people of diverse backgrounds to come together around the environmental issues that affect our daily lives. Some Presidential campaign staffers have been attending these meetings. In addition, as these meetings occur, public environmental opinions and concerns will be collected and compiled in a final report which can be used to inform state and national policy leaders.
This a non-partisan event organized by Plains Justice, Iowa's only public interest environmental law center, and many community volunteers. For more information, or if transportation is needed, contact Plains Justice at 319-362-2120, Jane I. Duax @ 563-349-1417 or jiduax@plainsjustice.org
Caucuses currently scheduled are:
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
6:30 PM at Indian Creek Nature Center
6665 Otis Road SE, Cedar Rapids
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
7:00 PM at the new Davenport Police Facility
416 N. Harrison, Davenport, IA
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Fairfield Public Library - 7:30 PM
104 W. Adams Ave. - Fairfield
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
7:00 PM at US Bank across from Kennedy Mall Corner of Kennedy & Whacker, Dubuque
Thursday, Dec. 27, 2007
7:00 PM
Location to be announced
Sioux City Area
Dec 28th Time and Location to be announced
Mapleton Area
Tuesday, May 15
ACTION ALERT - CALL THE GOVERNOR TODAY AND ASK FOR A HALT TO BUILDING NEW COAL PLANTS - 515-281-5211
by
Sam Garchik
on Tue 15 May 2007 08:01 AM CDT
ACTION ALERT - CALL THE GOVERNOR TODAY AND ASK FOR A HALT TO BUILDING NEW COAL PLANTS - 515-281-5211
By Plains Justice
On Tuesday, May 15th, New Jersey's LS Power plans to apply for
their permits to build a 750MW coal-fired power plant just east of
Waterloo, Iowa. This plant will pour out carbon dioxide equivalent to
nearly a million new cars on Iowa's roads for its 40-50 year lifetime.
We are in a desperate fight to reign in global warming and this plant
will dig us a hole that all our best efforts can't remedy. The plant
will also pollute eastern Iowa's waters with heavy metals, including
hundreds of pounds of mercury annually, which settles into rivers and
lakes and bioaccumulates in fish across a wide region. There are
already points on the Iowa and Cedar Rivers where an adult can eat only
a few 6 oz. servings per month of game fish and stay under EPA's safety
level for mercury. The plant will destroy prime farmland, tap the
local aquifer, and invade a wetland. Finally, the heavy metal-laden
coal ash waste will go into an unlined, abandoned quarry south of
Waterloo, in an area with such a high groundwater table that nearby
residents can't dig basements.
The Governor has a chance to put a delay on the permitting process
but today is the best day for it. Call the Governor at 515-281-5211
and ask him to tackle global warming solutions and put a temporary stay
on the permitting process for new coal plants until the legislature has
had a chance to act on the Climate Change Advisory Council's
recommendations for greenhouse gas reductions in Iowa. If permitted,
the two coal plants proposed by LS Power in Waterloo and Alliant Energy
in Marshalltown, along with the 790 MW behemoth MidAmerican just built
in Council Bluffs, will result in a 60% increase in Iowa's global
warming pollution since 1990. If we're going to stop global warming
and move our energy economy forward, these plants cannot be built.
CALL THE GOVERNOR TODAY - 515-281-5211.
Thank the Governor for his powerful statement about global warming
on April 27th: "Global Warming is a real danger that threatens our very
way of life, and it is our responsibility to take any and all steps
that we can to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and hope to curb
global warming."
Let Governor Culver know that you want him to continue his
leadership on this important issue. We want to see Iowa be the true
renewable energy capitol of the world, but that means saying "NO" to
new dirty coal. Each of these plants will cost more than $1 billion.
Let's put that cash into renewables and efficiency.
Thank you very much for your efforts, you are an invaluable part of this campaign!
Please forward this message, it is urgent.
Carrie La Seur, Ph.D., J.D.
Plains Justice
319 3rd St. NW
Mount Vernon, Iowa 52314
319-560-4729
http://www.plainsjustice.org
Saturday, December 2
Plains Justice to Open Office in Iowa City
by
Sam Garchik
on Sat 02 Dec 2006 08:05 AM CST
Plains Justice to Open Office in Iowa City
By Sidney Lister
My name is Sidney Lister. I'm a senior at Cornell College and I'm interning or a new Iowa non-profit called Plains Justice. We expect to open an office in Iowa City in early 2007, and I'm looking for donations or contributions in kind to support the new office. The mission of Plains Justice is to provide legal services to communities that are suffering environmental and public health harms. This will be the first public interest environmental law office in Iowa. Its primary goal will be to improve and water quality, and it will also provide employment and training opportunities for young people who'd like to pursue careers in conservation and environmental law.
Here is a list of some of the things that we are currently working on, in
case you are interested:
Coal Plant Challenge Advocacy
Plains Justice is working actively with a number of regional and national organizations to challenge coal plant siting in Iowa and adjacent states. Plains Justice provides counsel and training to local advocates involved in the agency public comment process, including sending speakers to workshops in other states. Plains Justice has agreed to challenge permits for the proposed 750 MW pulverized coal plant proposed for Waterloo, Iowa. If the plant proposal goes forward, Plains Justice expects to devote significant resources to pushing for the most protective air emission permits possible. Plains justice has also initiated a study of the environmental justice significance of current coal plant siting proposals, which appear to target economically disadvantaged communities desperate for development.
Coal Combustion Waste/Landfills
A 5-year-old study by Hoosier Environmental Council suggests that Iowa's landfills for coal combustion waste may lack basic groundwater protection. Plains Justice proposes to update this study, evaluate the quality of Iowa's monitoring and enforcement, and challenge flawed regulations, procedures and permits.
Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs)
Iowa water and air quality are significantly affected by CAFO development and operation. Plains Justice uses its expertise in Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act law to evaluate compliance of the state's CAFOs and work with operators to ensure full compliance with the law. Although this work has been handled up until now by out-of-state organizers, Plains Justice is stepping up to handle this role, in cooperation with the Iowa Environmental Council.
Clean Water Act Permit Challenges
Iowa Environmental Council has recently received long-needed funding for the review Clean Water Act discharge permits and provide comments. The Council does not have the legal resources to challenge flawed permits if DNR fails to take the appropriate action. Plains Justice is well-positioned to assist the Council in this area by using its Clean Water Act expertise to bring legal challenges where grave water quality violations exist. The Council has agreed to refer matters and potential clients to Plains Justice, which will undertake legal action separate from the Council's more broadly based coalition advocacy model. A stronger legal presence in this area will greatly improve Iowa's water quality enforcement.
If your organization might be interested in contributing, you can contact me at 319-895-5211 or by replying to this email, or you can contact the executive director, Carrie La Seur at 319 560 4729.
Also if you know of anyone else who might be interested in contributing, I would be extremely grateful if you would let me know their names and phone numbers or email addresses.
Thank you very much,
Sidney ListerSidney.Lister@gmail.com.
|
|
