Letters

Trans-Pacific Partnership: Bad for Labor; Bad for the Environment

The Trans-Pacific Partnership has rightly received some negative attention in recent months as the Obama Administration pushes for its ratification and implementation. Creating a race to the bottom, the provisions of the partnership – negotiated largely in secret over the last decade and a half by a dozen nations – will certainly have a negative impact on the availability of jobs and the wages and benefits of workers across the nation and, especially, in the manufacturing sector here in Central Illinois. But it is also important for us to recognize the local, national, and global environmental harm that will come from this agreement if Congress should ratify the treaty.

For starters, there are very few environmental protections included in the treaty. And, even those that are included are only suggestions, unenforceable because there is no mechanism to sanction violators and no penalties for infringements. Moreover, while companies doing business in the United States will be forced to live up to our tougher regulations, those doing business in other signatory nations might not be held to such standards, encouraging corporations to increase pollution and ecological devastation without cost while moving more operations, jobs, and tax revenues overseas.

Even more detrimental, the Trans-Pacific Partnership would put up stumbling blocks to developing new local, state, and federal environmental, safety, and other regulations that American voters and legislators deem necessary. The treaty would subject such future protections to a cost-benefit analysis that is stacked in favor of multinational corporations and against citizens of the United States and other individuals around the world. In fact, international corporations would be able to sue governments at all levels for unlimited cash compensation in international tribunals outside of U.S. judicial oversight for any law, policy, or regulation that the corporations believe infringe on their ability to make profits.

International cooperation can be a wonderful thing that can help protect peace and security for America and the world. International partnerships are also necessary to solve some of the most pressing environmental catastrophes that we face today including global warming, mass extinction and ocean acidification. Likewise, treaties and trade pacts, when designed with people rather than corporate profits in mind, can protect jobs, increase benefits, and ensure safety for all workers. But, sadly, the Trans-Pacific Partnership furthers none of these laudatory goals. Instead, it will open the way for the degradation of resources and ecosystems that will increase global insecurity, harm the health of all the world’s people, and threaten global economic ruin. For the sake of the environment, the world’s people, and our own economic interests, we must reject the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Jeffrey Kosiorek, Peoria

Clean energy jobs can power our new economy

By Sen. Dave Koehler

With new clean air requirements from the federal government, a fleet of aging power plants and dwindling fossil fuel resources, Illinois’ government must make choices that will set our energy policy for years to come. I’m supporting a plan that will encourage investment in solar, wind and other renewable energy sources while acknowledging that fossil fuels – such as clean coal – must continue to play a role in our economy.

We’re calling this plan the Illinois Clean Jobs Bill because in addition to protecting the environment, we expect it to create tens of thousands of good-paying jobs throughout Illinois.

The legislation sets a goal of reducing Illinois’ electricity use by 20 percent by 2025. We would achieve this goal by investing in energy efficiency. This move would create good construction jobs weatherizing and insulating our homes and businesses. It also would boost the economy by encouraging everyone to buy more energy-efficient appliances.

We are calling for more spending on solar and wind technology by setting a goal of having 35 percent of Illinois power come from renewable sources by 2030. In 2012, we ranked 4^th in the nation in installed wind power capacity, and we need to continue to grow.

I also believe we need to continue to invest in clean-coal technology like the FutureGen project. Barring incredible advances in technology, we’re not going to be able to meet our energy needs without fossil fuel. We should do our best to reduce air pollution while using resources like Illinois coal.

I recently filed an amendment to help address carbon emissions reduction issues.

In the end, the Illinois Clean Jobs Bill is an investment in the future. It will enable us to protect the air and water for our children and grandchildren. It will increase energy efficiency and lower electric bills. It will also help us build a strong economy for generations to come by creating good-paying jobs and putting people to work throughout our communities.

Stop Private Development on Public Riverfront Parkland

Heart of Illinois Group Sierra Club asks your support for protecting public parkland and open space along the Peoria Riverfront Park.

Part of the northern end of the park including the area of Constitution Gardens and the historic railroad turntable is being considered for sale to a developer for private apartments.

This area is a true gem as it currently offers quiet and peace away from streets and commercial activity. There is open space for savoring views of the river and enjoying nature.

The riverfront trail loops through this section and the contrast of going from the heart of downtown north to this quiet park area is refreshing and restorative for many walkers and joggers.

The Peoria City Council may be voting on this issue in April. Heart of Illinois Group Sierra Club is asking that individuals contact their city council members and ask that the public open space on the Peoria riverfront be protected and kept for the public. The city is also considering extending Water Street from the Riverplex north. We think this would also be very disruptive of the public open space and it is not needed. There are concerns about how much this would cost the city when so many existing streets are in great need of repair.

Would Chicago sell its lakefront parkland for development? We think not. Our view is Peoria should protect the riverfront public parkland it currently owns. Having multiple apartment buildings and a large parking lot would forever alter the quiet and more secluded section of the Riverfront Park and take acres away from open space and the public. Residential development for the Peoria downtown is very important. We are delighted to see the wonderful progress in the Warehouse District and other locations downtown that are adding residential opportunities. Certainly there are many other excellent options for residential development downtown than taking irreplaceable riverfront public parkland for private development.

Please contact me to discuss this further.

David Pittman, Peoria

Cell: 309-573-2354

Twittergate: Taxpayers could foot the $1 million insurance deductible

Here’s the question of the day for the Peoria City Council: The roads are rough and the budget is in the red, so why oh why in a time of serious deficits is the council continuing to pay lawyers to pursue the Twittergate case, when it could be settled, likely for far less money than it’s paying the lawyers?

That question became a topic during a recent city council candidate forum, but few answers were forthcoming.

The council then supposedly was briefed in a closed session to discuss litigation, and no comments were made afterward.

At a March 9 hearing, federal judge Michael Mihm refused to dismiss the case, as the city had requested. He agreed with the arguments of the Illinois ACLU, attorneys for the plaintiff in the civil lawsuit. So now it moves on to discovery, where those search warrants signed by judges will be scrutinized, emails disclosed, people interviewed.

And taxpayers will pay, since the city has a huge deductible, said to be $1 million, in its liability insurance policy.

As we all remember, this is a free speech case, and free speech as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. A year ago, obscure Peoria resident Jon Daniel, then 29, posted a parody Twitter account mocking Mayor Jim Ardis. Yes, it was vulgar and ugly. Less than three dozen of Daniel’s friends saw it.

But Ardis panicked, and persuaded the police to get warrants and raid the residence where Daniel lived. Police seized electronic devices, including computers and cell phones, and detained Daniel for questioning. They also found marijuana, so one of Daniel’s roommates was arrested and is being prosecuted.

All this for a parody account, which was so labeled a few days after it was posted. There are parody accounts for many celebrities and public officials, even the Pope. Ardis, apparently clueless, called in his police force to ruin the lives of the guys living in the house over a joke Twitter posting that few people had noticed until Ardis made it an issue.

If police can get warrants and raid the homes of anyone posting something on-line that an elected official doesn’t like, then we’re living in the Soviet Union or East Germany, or certain nations in the Middle East.

Peoria has suffered worldwide bad publicity over the incident, and now taxpayers are subsidizing Ardis’ huge mistake. What a mess.

Jeffrey Johnson, Peoria

Join the Earth Day March in Springfield!

Looking for the most impactful way to spend your Earth Day? On Earth Day, April 22, join hundreds of environmentalists, public health advocates, people of faith, students and clean energy advocates as we descend on Springfield to demand clean jobs and climate action. Join us to make sure that our state leaders prioritize people and the planet over polluters when passing statewide energy legislation this spring.

In March, state legislators introduced the groundbreaking Clean Energy Jobs Bill that will dramatically expand renewable energy and energy efficiency in our state and cut down on dangerous carbon pollution. SB1485/HB2607 would dramatically transform Illinois’ energy landscape: increasing renewable energy to 35 percent by 2030, increasing energy efficiency so that we can get 20 percent reductions in energy use by 2025, and pricing carbon so that polluters can’t continue to pollute for free. Once the policies are in place, it is predicted that 32,381 jobs will be created annually in the clean energy industries.

Bus to Springfield leaving from Peoria Westlake Shopping Center. $10 suggested donation to reserve your seat.

Kady McFadden

kady.mcfadden@sierraclub.org