Chicago is becoming a "greener city," but let's recognize some key challenges and the need for solutions moving forward. Environmental progress is being achieved together with job creation and economic development. The old myth about jobs versus the environment is simply that: old and false. This Earth Day, we should be proud of what Chicago has accomplished and candid about some important environmental challenges still requiring solutions.
Wind Power: Illinois has leaped from no wind power in 2003 to more than 3,842 megawatts today. A decade ago, who thought that Illinois would become No. 5 in the nation for wind power capacity and that Chicago would now have 11 major wind power corporate headquarters?
Next Steps: Illinois policymakers should say "no" to Exelon's opposition and finally modernize the Illinois Renewable Energy Standard, which helps drive wind power development. Let's make it work well and advance Illinois' national leadership in the restructured electricity market.
Solar Energy can be our next boom. The city and county are advancing policies to streamline solar energy installations by speeding up permitting and standardizing grid connections. Solar panel efficiencies are steadily improving -- think about other rapid technological advances in smart phones, digital cameras and computer speeds -- and becoming economically competitive. Solar energy is truly a disruptive technology, especially combined with battery technology improvements. It can succeed by installations on residential rooftops and commercial buildings' spacious flat roofs, and can transform underutilized industrial brownfields into "solar brightfields" in Chicago.
Next Steps: Let's seize the opportunities to accelerate solar energy by better using Chicago's many flat rooftops on commercial, industrial and multifamily residential buildings for solar photovoltaic panel installations producing clean electricity? First, the Illinois Commerce Commission should remove regulatory barriers that protect monopoly utilities from competition. Second, the Commission and state legislators should adopt policies that better enable community solar projects for local businesses and neighborhood residents to join together in sharing clean energy resources. Third, if Argonne National Labs' engineers and scientists achieve their goal of batteries that are five times more efficient at one-fifth the cost, that's a game changer.
Energy Efficiency saves businesses and residential consumers money on their utility bills, avoids pollution, creates jobs and keeps money in Chicago's economy. There's a quiet revolution occurring with more energy efficient lighting, appliances, cooling and heating equipment, pumps and motors, and other technologies. Commonwealth Edison reports that electricity sales declined (-1.5 percent) in 2015 in Northern Illinois while the Chicago regional economy grew 2.5 - 3.0 percent. Chicago's economy is growing, more efficiently.
Next Steps: Let's make sure that homes in all Chicago neighborhoods gain energy efficiency benefits through job-creating retrofits that can reduce electricity and natural gas bills. Electricity waste costs businesses and people money and drains dollars out of the Chicago economy for the part of the utility bills spent on out-of-town uranium, coal and gas fuels. Let's save money, boost our economy, create more installation jobs and reduce pollution. That's a winner.
Public Transit: Chicagoans are driving less with fewer cars, but Chicago can't be a greener "city that works" unless CTA is modernized. Chicago is looking to both innovative financing and new transportation approaches, including Bus Rapid Transit and Divvy bikes, in addition to upgrading the aging Red Line and other transit lines.
Next Steps: Let's face it -- no good public transit, no green city. Chicago's public transit system must become faster and provide improved, more efficient passenger services. CTA is working on it. Mayor Emanuel, Senators Durbin and Kirk, and Congressmen Lipinski and Quigley are working hard to gain more federal funds for CTA modernization. That's a priority and necessity.
Higher-Speed Rail: Chicago is the natural hub of the growing Midwest higher-speed rail network connecting Chicago and Milwaukee, Detroit and St. Louis, and the mid-sized cities in-between. Modern higher-speed passenger rail development will improve mobility, reduce pollution, create jobs and spur regional economic growth.
Next Steps: Modernize Union Station so it works well for intercity passenger rail, is attractive to new visitors and can be a multimodal hub connecting with CTA while anchoring West Loop commercial development. Let's accelerate high-speed rail development here.
Great Lakes: The Great Lakes ecosystem is the Chicago region's global gem, vital source of drinking water supply and place of recreational joy. The Obama Administration's investment of about $2 billion in the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is paying off. Water quality should improve as investments are made in upgrading treatment facilities, building green infrastructure, and restoring wetlands and habitat.
Next Steps: Water efficiency is more than 20 years behind energy efficiency. We can't afford to waste fresh water that the rest of the world craves and values highly. Let's make Chicago a water efficiency leader among the Great Lakes cities. Let's also figure out savvy ways of using lower-cost greywater for industrial processes and save fresh water for drinking supply.
Chicago River: It's our namesake river and should be a gem increasing recreational enjoyment and property values for all. There's progress as the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) finally begins to disinfect its wastewater. The Chicago River, however, is still not "fishable and swimmable," and there's more cleanup to be done.
Next Steps: The new Chicago Riverwalk and river-focused development on both the north and south sides highlights and builds support for the importance of cleaning up the river as a safe place for recreational use and community enjoyment. MWRD should continue to step up its pollution reduction actions and equipment investments that pay off in clean water benefits for all.
Clean air, clean water, cleaner energy and fewer toxics are important values shared by all Chicagoans. This Earth Day, let's be proud of our progress, and let's seize opportunities to advance a cleaner, greener and safer community that works for all.