Programs

CLEAN ENERGY AMBASSADOR

Jill Cliburn, a 25-year veteran of energy efficiency program strategy for community-owned utilities, is working to share winning strategies for energy efficiency and renewable energy development at community-owned utilities in America’s Heartland. Clean Energy Ambassadors puts emphasis on developing leadership and productive public participation. Many of its services are provided at no cost, including phone consultations to match you up with the resources or people who can help you best, a resource Web site that zeros in on the resources that are most meaningful for smaller community-owned utilities, and presentations and consultations to help you make the business case for energy efficiency to utility or government leaders.

CLEAN UP COAL ADVOCACY

The states we serve get their electricity primarily from coal-fired power plants. Although the Clean Air Act requires new plants to employ “Best Available Control Technology” to minimize pollutants, many older plants were grandfathered into the Clean Air Act and emit much higher levels of pollution than would be allowed today. Studies show that minorities are far more likely than white Americans to live within a distance of coal-fired power plants at which health impacts are the worst. Coal combustion is also one of the biggest drivers of global warming, which also impacts indigenous, minority, and impoverished communities disproportionately.

Plains Justice is working with grassroots, regional and national organizations to clean up coal plant pollution. We comment on Clean Air Act permits, provide counsel and training to local residents and advocates involved in the agency public participation process, and promote cost-effective clean energy alternatives. Plains Justice advocates for the most protective air emission permits possible and monitors compliance with existing permits. We represent Dakota Resource Council in its opposition to the proposed South Heart, ND coal plants and mines. We are currently assisting public health advocates in evaluating the pollution profile of existing Iowa coal plants.

CLEAN ENERGY POLICY ADVOCACY

Plains Justice advocates for high quality, cost-effective clean energy programs. Our campaigns include clean energy business development, interventions in utility regulatory dockets to promote stronger renewable energy and energy efficiency requirements, training utility managers in proven energy efficiency practices, and participation in collaborative processes with utilities to reduce emissions and keep bills low through improved efficiency.

We also represent state organizations before utility regulatory agencies, advocating for strong energy efficiency programming and fair regulations to give small renewable energy developers (like schools and small towns) equal footing in the industry. We participate in transmission stakeholder groups and clean energy coalitions and helped establish the legal structure for the Midwest Renewable Energy Tracking System. President Carrie La Seur recently completed a 2-year term on the Iowa Power Fund Board of Directors, as it invested nearly $50 million in state funds in clean energy development and shaped the state’s energy plan.

COAL COMBUSTION WASTE DISPOSAL REFORM

In 1980, Congress directed EPA to report on what regulations would be appropriate for coal combustion waste, the heavy-metal laden by-product of coal-fired power plants. Twenty-seven years later, EPA has concluded that regulation is needed, but has failed to create regulations and is seriously considering an industry proposal for unenforceable voluntary management practices. A 5-year-old study by Hoosier Environmental Council shows that many midwestern coal combustion waste disposal sites lack basic groundwater protections, putting drinking water at risk for arsenic and other contamination. On January 31, 2007, a coalition of over 20 organizations, including Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund and Clean Air Task Force, submitted a proposal to EPA for improved coal combustion waste regulation.

In November 2007, Plains Justice published its own study evaluating the quality of Iowa’s coal combustion waste disposal monitoring and enforcement. The study showed leaching even from Iowa’s better-regulated coal ash sanitary landfills, but other sites have weaker protections and no groundwater monitoring. We are now working with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources on regulatory reform, for the protection of Iowa groundwater and drinking water. Public Health Specialist Donna Wong-Gibbons makes public presentations about the health concerns related to inadequate regulation of this toxic waste stream.

IOWA BUSINESS COUNCIL FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY

The Iowa Business Council for Energy Efficiency (IBCEE) is a networking roundtable of business leaders improving Iowa’s competitive edge by building a more energy efficient, cost-effective workplace economy. The Roundtable does this by:

  • Building a broader consensus for energy efficiency public policies that support a stronger business environment
  • Increasing business awareness of federal and state resources available for the implementation of energy efficiency policies and practices
  • Defining energy efficiency policies that fit business needs
  • Supporting entrepreneurship in energy conservation fields.

PUBLIC-HEALTH SPECIALIST

Our newly launched public-health outreach, led by epidemiologist Dr. Donna Wong-Gibbons, backs up our clean energy, water quality, and air quality advocacy with expert analysis of urgent health issues. Learn more about our public health work.

TAR SANDS INFRASTRUCTURE

Plains Justice has represented Dakota Rural Action in the Keystone XL proceedings at the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission. Landowners along the route are concerned about water contamination, oil spills, and risk of explosions from the pipeline’s ultra-heavy tar sands crude oil. For the latest news, read our Great Plains Tar Sands Pipelines blog. More information is also available in our policy brief: The Keystone XL Pipeline: Not Needed, Too Expensive, Better Solutions.

WATER QUALITY AND LIVESTOCK CONFINEMENTS

Plains Justice works with many partner organizations to ensure full protection of Iowa waters. With our allies, Plains Justice successfully advocated for a package of statutory reforms in the 2008 Iowa legislature. Our Public Health Specialist has produced a report summarizing academic research into public health impacts of CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation)-related water pollution, and our staff is evaluating Clean Water Act enforcement at CAFOs in our Northern Plains region.