Over the past year, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) has worked with state and regional stakeholders to create a vision for rail services for Minnesota for the next 20 years--both freight system improvements as well as significant increases in passenger rail options for intrastate and regional travel. A draft Minnesota Comprehensive Statewide Freight and Passenger Rail Plan has been released for public review.
When I got out of bed on Sunday morning, I could not believe the news coverage of the 100,000 person demonstration on the streets of Copenhagen. I was angry. The BBC story lead story was about arrests and violence, none of which I saw from noon to 6PM while walking 6 kilometers with an enormous crowd of people from all over the world. By 9:30AM Sunday, the Associated Press reported that Danish police say only 13 of 968 people detained during Saturday's protests remained in custody.
Aurora Conley, an Ojibway woman from Bad River Indian Reservation near Ashland, WI is a Will Steger Foundation youth delegate who led the march along with indigenous peoples from all over the world. She might even be asked to address the plenary session on behalf of the world's indigenous people on the conference's final day. I am working here in Copenhagen to support Aurora and 11 other amazing emerging leaders that Will Steger has assembled to put pressure on U.S. negotiators at the summit. Please take five minutes to watch this beautiful video of Saturday's Copenhagen march posted by The Uptake, and hear Aurora's message that should be taken to heart by the negotiators inside the Bella Center: "We're moving now!"
Last Friday morning, I stepped off the plane in Copenhagen for the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP15). My role at the Copenhagen climate conference is as a policy mentor and coach to 12 youth delegates from 7 Midwest states. They make up Expedition Copenhagen, traveling with polar explorer and global warming eyewitness Will Steger. I had reviewed all the negotiating positions of individual countries like my own, China, Japan, Canada--and important blocks of countries, the European Union, the Alliance of Small States, the G-77 developing nations. I felt prepared to track the formal negotiations of the conference. What I was unprepared for was the remarkable intensity and focus of the youth delegates I would meet that night.
Bill McKibben has been the clarion voice of the climate movement for 20 years, long before it identified itself as a movement. His 1989 The End of Nature was the first popular book to outline the basic reality of the global warming problem. His current passion is to raise the awareness that science is now telling us that we must reduce atmospheric concentrations below their current levels of 390ppm. Today, at Yale360, Bill McKibben writes "A Timely Reminder of the Real Limits to Growth."
This fall I'll be out and about in greater Minnesota, giving public presentations on growing a clean energy economy in Minnesota and the United States. My upcoming presentations are in Austin on September 19 at REfest, Detroit Lakes on September 28, and two presentations at Bemidji State University on September 29. We'll have details posted soon on my November 1 presentation in St. Peter. All of these presentations are free and open to the public. More details and event flyers are posted on our events calendar. Please spread the word to friends and family in these local areas. I hope to see you in person at an event near you!
After their meeting on June 29, the Elk River City Council decided to table a vote on investment in Big Stone II until their meeting on July 13 (for more information about this important vote read our action alert). We have just learned that the Elk River Utilities Commission has called a special meeting tomorrow (July 8) at 4:00PM at the Elk River Utilities Office in the Lowertown Conference Room. The Commission is going to pass a recommendation for or against investment in Big Stone II to the city council for a vote at their meeting on July 13.
Posted by: Kate Ellis in event, coal, clean energy, action on
Jun 25, 2009
The Elk River Municipal Utility is considering buying into the Big Stone II coal-fired power plant proposed to be built near Milbank, South Dakota (learn more about Big Stone II). Even though utilities and states across the nation are abandoning plans for coal plants--power plants that will pollute and create unstable rates for consumers for 40-50 years-backers of Big Stone II continue down this uneconomic and environmentally irresponsible path.
Elk River took an early lead in seeking better energy options by earning an Energy City designation in 1997. This progress should not be undermined by buying into this backward-looking, obsolete form of energy.
According to a brief article posted Monday evening in Roll Call: House Democrats filed a 1,201 page energy package late Monday night and said they are confident that they will resolve all outstanding issues in time for a vote Friday.
"There are some issues still under discussion, but we are confident we can resolve them by the time the bill goes to the floor on Friday," said Drew Hammill, spokesman for Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).
Hammill said Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and Agriculture Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) "have all agreed on this approach for moving this historic climate change and clean energy jobs bill."
Citizens should take action and call their representative in Congress today.
The United States can dramatically cut global warming pollution while significantly reducing energy costs for families and businesses in every part of the country. That conclusion is from a new peer-reviewed study by the Union of Concerned Scientists, called Climate 2030 Blueprint. The study shows that combining energy and transportation policies with a strong limit or "cap" on global warming pollution--set at 56 percent below 2005 levels by 2030--would save the typical U.S. household $900 on electricity, heating, and transportation costs in 2030. Also in 2030, businesses would benefit from total net energy savings of $130 billion.
As a new chapter is underway not only for America but for the entire world, the big question is how much can be accomplished before attention spans become strained. Hope is a very powerful feeling, but it can also trick us into becoming ignorant of history and human nature. The past few weeks, however, have been testament that the future we have been fighting tooth and nail for could be well on its way.
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