Issue Paper 10: Why Green Investments are Good for the Economy and the Environment

It seems every day we get bombarded with a new environmental disaster. Some prime examples include Arcelor Mittal being accused of intentionally manipulating their data and poisoning one of the USA’s largest bodies of drinking water, formally once-a-century-type storms now occurring on an annual basis and massive fires like the one in Australia that left 24 people and 480 million animals dead.

Indiana House District 3 is host to a globally rare environment and some of the world’s manufacturing giants. Our dance between environmental activism and industrial revolution economics has always been complicated.

(ID: Factories silhouetted by Lake Michigan.)

However, there is room for opportunities and ways to steer our economy closer to being greener. An example is NIPSCO’s recent commitment to transition from coal. They are planning to retire four units at the R.M. Schahfer station in Wheatfield by 2023 and the 5^th (final coal unit) in Michigan City by 2028 at the latest. Their move towards wind and solar could provide jobs for Hoosiers, but will these employment opportunities be equitable?

(ID: Solar installers inaction)

As our industrial giants are required to move towards becoming greener we will need leadership on the state level to hold them accountable, as well as to promote job training across Indiana to ensure that all Hoosiers get a chance to benefit from this push to lower Indiana’s carbon footprint.

If elected, Jessica Renslow will fight to:

• Hold our NWI industrial giants accountable for their actions on the state, local, federal and international level by partnering with government agencies and local advocates to help ensure the safety/ quality of life for Hoosiers.

• Create and implement an INHD3 tourism strategic plan and marketing campaign that will give our area presence on the national/international level.

• Protect our environmental jewels like the Hobart Marsh area, promote well-designed infrastructure that connects our cities and properly develop under-served resources like Lake Street Beach.

• Increase green jobs and economic development by monitoring/ maintaining compliance of our local and targeted hiring/ business incubation programs.

• Foster sponsorship relationships between area businesses and industries to help infuse tourism initiatives, support active transportation, improve infrastructure and protect our environment, so that the burden of funding is not on INHD3 residents.

• Advocate for business investment in INHD3 that is complementary to promoting life-long communities.

• Connect our trail gaps to unite the Calumet Region and all of Lake County. Pursue local businesses to start prioritizing active and passive tourism in all seasons as an economic driver.

• Promote private or environmental groups to develop preserves, solely funded via their revenue sources, on the edges of our already protected areas. This approach will benefit INHD3 by retaining our scenic beauty/ wildlife, reducing our blight situation and it will better guarantee our environmental jewels be allowed to retain their value.

• Ensure that INHD3 tourism revenues and benefits stay in Gary, Lake Station, New Chicago and Hobart.