Democratic Congressional Candidates Agree on Climate Science, Differ on Solutions (IL-18)

The Democrats running in a special election to replace Aaron Schock in Congress both admit the scientific consensus behind climate change but one sounds more serious about tackling the problem.

Check out my latest at Huffington Post Blog.

Candidate Rob Mellon immediately moved the conversation to where it belongs. "We have to realize that climate change is real and there's no debate about that." He took on the latest dodge of climate deniers who claim it's happening due to natural cycles, not man-made pollutants. "The overwhelming majority of scientists are clear about that. That humans play a role."
Mellon, who teaches at Quincy High School, says he agrees with Pope Francis and pointed out that climate change disproportionately hurts the poor. "Individual politicians have to step up to the plate. We have to remove our focus on fossil fuels. These are finite resources, and if we continue to put our resources into drilling, fracking, and pipelines, we're doubling down on a failed policy."

Also posted at Daily Kos and Democrats for Progress. 

Governor Rauner's Environment & Energy Adviser Represents Many of Illinois' Worst Polluters

Check out my latest at Huffington Post blog.

One of Bruce Rauner's first appointments as Governor is a troubling sign for citizens hoping he'll protect the public and environment from toxic pollutants. Rauner's new Policy Adviser for Environment & Energy is Alec Messina, previously Executive Director and registered lobbyist for the Illinois Environmental Regulatory Group (IERG).

At IERG, Messina represented the interests of some of the state's largest polluters, including Peabody Energy, ExxonMobil, Chris Cline's Foresight Energy, Prairie State Generating Company, Dynegy Midwest Generation, Ameren, ADM and others.

I write more about the appointment and Rauner's first policy statements on energy at the link.

Also worth reading is Bruce Rushton's article at Illinois Times about some of Messina's actions in the Blagojevich administration.

The Statehouse Bubble Bursts: Illinois Revolts Against Fracking

I have a new piece at Huffington Post about the incredible public response at the fracking hearings. It includes must see video from the Carbondale, Decatur and Effingham hearings.

The Chicago hearing had a raucous crowd, but the two southernmost hearings took a more ardent tone. In Carbondale and Ina, calls for nonviolent civil disobedience to resist fracking outnumbered those who merely asked for better rules to make it safe.

The defiant tone reached a crescendo with a fired up crowd of over 200 at the final hearing in Carbondale. Politicians and interested businessmen who believe fracking in Illinois is "inevitable" should watch video of the Carbondale hearing for a reality check about the stiff opposition they'll face.

Please share! You have one last day to submit comments on the proposed regulation to IDNR before the January 3 deadline.

Chicago and Southern Illinois Hearings Show Unity Against Fracking

I have another piece on Huffington Post blog. The Illinois political establishment has vastly underestimated the intesity of opposition to fracking.

Several hundred people attended over two hours of public comments at Rend Lake College in southern Illinois. Only two expressed support for fracking. A former oil rig worker, a 30-year former coal miner, small business owners, at least three Eagle Scouts, and lifelong southern Illinois residents gave testimony criticizing fracking and the proposed rules.

After making technical comments, legendary Shawnee Forest defender Sam Stearns warned, "The fact is that there's going to be a good deal of resistance to any effort to frack here in southern Illinois because people like myself who live in southern Illinois don't intend to be unintended consequences or collateral damage. I can assure you there will be resistance at every step of this proposed fracking."

If you like it, remember that sharing is caring.

I posted just over half the Rend Lake College hearing comments in four youtube videos. A backup battery for the camcorder is now on my Christmas list.



There are three more hearings scheduled in Decatur, Effingham, and Carbondale. You can also make comments online.