Springfield does something more progressive than Chicago

[Radical Activist]

Sierra Club: CWLP deal a model
First of its kind in the nation, environmental group says

By CHRIS WETTERICH
STAFF WRITER
Published Friday, August 11, 2006

The Sierra Club said Thursday that its new deal with City Water, Light and Power to reduce power plant emissions is "the first enforceable agreement in the nation by any city or utility to significantly reduce its global warming pollution."

Bruce Nilles, a Sierra Club lawyer and director of the group's Midwest clean energy campaign, said that statement is based on the group's monitoring of environmental permits for new pollution sources across the country.

"It will be the first time global warming pollution has been regulated," Nilles said of the contentious multimillion-dollar pact narrowly approved Wednesday night by the Springfield City Council. "There's nobody who's done that."

http://www.sj-r.com/Sections/News/Stories/93122.asp

(Unfortunately the article is a little biased and doesn't make clear just how good this agreement is. Everyone in central Illinois should be very proud of this.)

[WildEyedLiberal]

1. That's really awesome

I hope Champaign-Urbana will be the next to consider something like this. Urbana is still one of the most progressive places I've ever been.

[JohMunich99]

2. That's weird...

I thought that the Dems JUST took control of things down there. I'm no expert, but I thought I last heard that the Dems took control after like 50 years of Republican rule. I can't remember if it was county or city government, but yeah. I'd be happy to get an update.

[WildEyedLiberal]

3. Urbana's pretty hippie

The Green party runs viable candidates for local offices. Chamapaign is more moderate so maybe that's what you're thinking of? I admittedly don't follow local politics all that much. I just know Urbana is pretty much the hippie enclave in downstate Illinois.

Welcome to DU btw!

[Critters2]

8. I have friends who refer to Urbana as

"The People's Republic". THAT's how lefty it is!! Champaign, not so much. And the rest of the county, well, suffice to say that when I lived there I was embarassed by my repug cousin who chaired the county board.

[kevsand]

5. You're probably thinking about the county board.

The Urbana City Council has been a near monopoly for the dems for literally decades (at least back into the sixties).

The Champaign County Board was Repub run for as long as anyone could remember (probably back to the Civil War), until the dems sqeaked out a one seat majority in 2000. That was just in time to redraw the districts, which now lean slightly to the dems (15-12).

Because of a number of issues with individual races, however, there is a chance the repubs could regain control this year, and the Greens in Urbana may be a contributing factor.

[mopinko]

4. that's great, but

chicago has done a lot of things to prevent global warming. we just don't happen to own our electric utility.

http://www.greenroofs.org/washington/index.php?page=millenium
http://www.chicagosolarpartnership.org/index.php?submenu=About&src=gendocs&link=Accomplishments&category=About%20Us
http://egov.cityofchicago.org/city/webportal/portalContentItemAction.do?BV_SessionID=@@@@1543253085.1155562678@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccceaddihkeiiemcefecelldffhdfgm.0&contentOID=536914395&contenTypeName=COC_EDITORIAL&topChannelName=HomePage


if i had time i could post a bunch about biking in chicago, something that our shiny blue city is quite proud of.

seriously, tho, i think it is up to local communities to do this, and everything else, it seems. maybe federal government as a concept is about to be proven a failure, and we will all just devolve back to small units where we the people have some input and control.

[Radical Activist]

6. Its not really about a competition with Chicago

You don't have to get defensive about what Chicago has done. The point was that this is surprising for a mid-sized conservative town. But no, Chicago has not regulated CO2 emissions and neither has ComEd or anyone else. This is groundbreaking.

[mopinko]

7. i know, just a little jab

tongue firmly in cheek.

[Bjornsdotter]

9. I agree..groundbreaking

I was stunned to read that conservative Springfield was going to do this. My hat is off to Springfield and I hope other communities follow their example.

Cheers

[JohMunich99]

10. For true

However, Tim Davlin, the mayor, is a Democrat and Democrats control the city council though. Springfield isn't that conversative.

[Critters2]

11. No it isn't

Do people assume it is because it's downstate? I've had cousins there for years, who are quite progressive and pretty active.

[JohMunich99]

13. Well it's not exactly a liberal haven either

The Democrats control the city council in the sense that there are five Democrats and five Republicans. Tim Davlin being a Democratic mayor votes to break whenever there are some. Davlin is fairly moderate as is 4th ward alderman Chuck Redpath and 9th Ward alderman Tom Selinger. This is rather new too, the Democratic party use to be nothing in Springfield. This could all change in the next election, but the Dems might even pick up a seat. Davlin's fire chief is considering retiring to run against a Republican in the 5th ward who is pretty much a unresponsive putz. Oh and Irv Smith could pass away at any moment (http://www.springfield.il.us/city_gov/council/members/ald8.htm) Now I don't wish that upon any man, but the guy has been running the County Republicans there forever.

[Bjornsdotter]

12. Really?

That's good to know. I admit I haven't been there in quite a few years so my perception is dated.

I always thought is was fairly conservative...I'm thrilled to find out that I am wrong. Lol...it's nice to be wrong when it goes in our favor. Now I just wish McHenry county would be blue, well maybe some day.

Cheers

[Willinois]

14. Anyone who wants to know more about the plan

or read it in full can visit my campaign blog. I'm one of the local Sierra Club members who pushed for this. Its definitely one of the most exciting things Springfield has done in years and something to be very proud of.
http://www.thereisaway.us/2006/07/cwlp_sierra_club_agreement.html