Mission

Eight oil refinery expansions have been proposed across the Midwest over the past few months due in large part to the newly commercially viable tar sands in Alberta, Canada.  Alberta tar sands or Canadian crude is sandy, petroleum rich deposits which can be harvested, then transported to oil refineries to be processed and converted into workable fuel for our cars and trucks, among other things. The potential increase in global warming from the oil refinery expansions is huge.  One proposed new oil refinery in Hyperion, SD would add 19 million tons of pollutants - the equivalent of 4 to 6 new coal-fired power plants to the state.  The proposed expansion by BP in northwest Indiana is reported to increase global warming pollution by 40%.

 

Worldview Features Interview with Dr. Pachauri

July 21, 2008 - Chicago Public Radio's Worldview show featured an interview with the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Dr. Rajendra K. Pachauri. ELPC hosted Dr. Pachauri as he talked with Chicago groups about the urgency of climate change earlier this month. Listen to the show .

 

Nobel Prize-Winning Scientist Briefs Chicago Media

July 1, 2008 - Dr. Rajendra K. Pachuari, Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), briefed Chicago media at ELPC's office on the urgent need to address climate change by working in concert with the business sector to develop clean energy solutions. The IPCC's Fourth Assessment Report asserts that the warming of the climate system is unequivocal. "Dr. Pachauri and the IPCC have closed the debate on whether global warming is happening," said Howard A. Learner, ELPC Executive Director. "We must now look forward to developing solutions to meet the challenges of global warming."

 

ELPC OpEd - Wisconsin Must Go Green to Get Ahead

June 22, 2008 - ELPC Executive Director Howard Learner's opinion piece on Wisconsin's role in the growing green economy was in Sunday's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "Wisconsin is well positioned to be a center of the rapidly growing green economy if it seizes the opportunities. That requires savvy policy actions and business development strategies now, before other states leap ahead." Read the full OpEd.

 

There are eight massive oil refinery expansions proposed in the Midwest right now, which have an enormous environmental footprint.  They will produce enormous air and water pollution unless state-of-the-art modern pollution control technology and practices are required at the outset.  ELPC’s goal:  no net increase in air pollution, no net increase in water pollution, and all CO2 increases must be offset.  ELPC and our regional colleagues are asking oil companies to use state-of-the art technology to operate as cleanly as possible.  In California, ConocoPhillips agreed to no net increases in air pollution, water pollution, and carbon dioxide pollution through offsets in a 600-million dollar expansion project in Contra Costa County. If it’s possible in California, it should be possible for all Midwestern oil refinery expansions.