I would tear down all the borders. I would make it one big municipality. I would take this idea of regionalism seriously. I would go as far as Akron, Canton, and Youngstown and make this one region that would work together, because they would be forced to. One tax system, one school system, one economic base. Everybody then would be all for one and one for all.
It’s time we built a high-speed rail system connecting Cleveland-Columbus-Cincinnati. It’s time we fund our transit systems to be strong competitors to the car. It’s time we invested in Complete Streets (like the Euclid Corridor). It’s time we fixed our potholes. It’s time we stopped building new highways to nowhere. It’s time we had a real conversation about investing in a transportation system that recognizes climate change, peak oil, and sustainable solutions.
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GreenCityBlueLake is the online home for the exciting people, projects, and ideas creating a more sustainable future in Northeast Ohio. Find out how you can make a donation or become a sponsor of the site.
We're pleased to see the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio taking a step toward ‘advanced energy’—renewable solutions to the problems facing the Ohio electricity industry—with last week's much anticipated rule changes.
Although PUCO’s ruling mostly sets the stage for further study of, for example, how to connect (and fairly compensate) renewable energy producers to the grid (aka interconnection), it can be seen as a positive course correction to the market failures of deregulation.
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This site is inspired by the memory of Richard Shatten, a former board member of EcoCity Cleveland,
who pushed Northeast Ohio to think strategically about regionalism and sustainability.
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Shock waves from Supreme Court's EPA decision
Marc Lefkowitz Says:The U.S. Supreme Court’s important ruling on Monday that the EPA had no justification for refusing to regulate greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide is starting to create some waves.
The judge handling one of the automakers' lawsuits—Judge William K. Sessions III of the U.S. District Court of Vermont—summoned the lawyers in the case yesterday to his chambers for a discussion in light of the EPA ruling. Automakers are suing California for its 2002 law to develop and implement greenhouse-gas restrictions on new vehicles (seven other states have since adopted vehicle GHG legislation and have been sued).
The case was on hold pending the Supreme Court decision because states cannot regulate fuel economy standards, but they can put rules on air pollution under the Clean Air Act. Mass. vs. EPA draws a distinction between air pollution and fuel economy standards.
“Never mind CAFE standards, writes environmental journal, Grist. “This is what's finally going to force automakers to start making fuel-efficient vehicles.”
This seems to be an on-target evaluation. The New York Times reports today that President Bush’s reaction to Mass v. EPA is he thinks the federal government is doing enough right now.
“As a result, Congress and state legislatures are almost certain to be the arenas for far-reaching and bruising lobbying battles.”
Also, check out the cool graphic with the NYTimes article showing what states are doing now to curb greenhouse gases. See which 19 states have adopted renewable energy portfolios, or which 12 states have adopted plans that outline steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.