Editorial Roundup: Indiana

Terre Haute Tribune-Star. Dec. 26, 2020.

Editorial: Power ahead on clean energy

Indiana utility companies are accelerating their shift away from coal to produce energy, a trend that could spell the end to nearly all coal-fired power plants within the next two decades.

The state's energy market is on a clear course, and coal is not in its long-term future. The formula is simple. Most other energy sources are renewable, more efficient, cheaper and do less damage to the environment.

While the movement away from coal is certain, Indiana's legislative leaders are resisting the inevitable. Their reasons mostly reflect an effort to prop up the industry and save as many coal jobs as they can for as long as they can.

Indiana's energy policy remains focused on slowing the move from coal to renewable sources such as wind, solar and natural gas. But clinging to that policy is unwise and wrong-headed.

The desire to protect the jobs and related economic benefits associated with coal mining is understandable and laudable. A number of communities in southwest Indiana have a rich history with coal. They have relied on the coal industry for the past 100-plus years and thrived as a result of the underground mineral's capacity to cheaply fuel power plants and generate reliable electricity.

Even though the evolution away from coal cannot be stopped, the state doesn't have to look upon its support and development of renewable energy as abandoning those communities. Lawmakers have made an effort to fund programs to assist communities hit hard by coal's decline. That is a good strategy and should be sustained while the transition away from coal mining continues. The legislature should seek other ways to ease the distress of those areas that suffer the most.

Mitigating the adverse economic impact of coal's decline should not, however, include stifling innovation and slowing the growth of the renewable energy.

Legislation is sure to be introduced in the upcoming session of the General Assembly to address these energy issues. Whatever is proposed will be controversial and hotly debated. Even among Republicans, who have an iron grip on the legislature with super majorities in both the House and Senate, there will be harsh disagreements.

Among key issues is ensuring 'œreliability'ť of the electric grid. Pro-coal lawmakers are skeptical that renewable resources can meet consumer demand and will seek to reinforce coal's place in the state's energy structure. Others will insist renewable energy, with proper support from the state, can be more than capable of providing a reliable energy source for industrial, business and personal uses.

A legislative task force exploring Indiana's energy future recently completed work. It submitted a public report which is vague and does not reveal the type of legislation that will eventually be proposed. How the battle over these issues develops will depend largely on what is contained in the legislation.

The wise approach will be to mitigate economic damage of the state's retreat from coal while pushing aggressively to support and develop the use of renewables in the future. Indiana may never become a leader in the advancement of clean energy, but it should not allow itself to fall behind.

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Anderson Herald Bulletin. Dec. 24, 2020.

Editorial: Mayor Pete poised to make history

Former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg is a fantastic choice for transportation secretary.

In an administration led by the oldest man ever elected as president, Buttigieg would bring the energy of youth. He'll turn 39 the day before Biden takes the oath of office.

He is also the first openly gay person ever nominated for such a position, a milestone he addressed at the event to announce his nomination.

Buttigieg recalled his own reaction as a 17-year-old when President Bill Clinton nominated James Hormel, an openly gay man, as ambassador to Luxembourg. In that era, a gay man could not even get a hearing in the Senate, and the nomination wound up being pushed through as a recess appointment.

'œTwo decades later, I can't help but think of a 17-year-old somewhere who might be watching us right now, somebody who wonders whether and where they belong in the world, or even in their own family,'ť Buttigieg said. 'œAnd I'm thinking about the message that today's announcement is sending to them.'ť

Buttigieg is imminently qualified for this new role.

A Rhodes Scholar, he is truly brilliant, and we're confident he will bring his intellect to bear in addressing the nation's transportation needs. He's an outsider who can bring a new perspective to lingering issues.

As a presidential candidate, Buttigieg rolled out a $1 trillion plan aimed at rebuilding the nation's crumbling infrastructure, and he was often critical of our current president for his failure to follow through on promises to make infrastructure a priority.

And contrary to the claims of critics, Buttigieg brought significant innovation to South Bend during his time at city hall. His office deployed sensors to detect potholes even before they erupted, and his 'œSmarter Streets'ť project was a pioneer of the 'œtraffic calming'ť' design measures now common on city streets nationwide.

Assuming he wins confirmation by the U.S. Senate, the former mayor will face some serious challenges in his new position. Many of the nation's highways, bridges and airports are falling apart. America's railway system is far from adequate and public transit agencies across the country are in crisis.

Biden, though, seems confident his former rival is up to the task.

'œMayor Pete Buttigieg is a patriot and a problem-solver who speaks to the best of who we are as a nation,'ť Biden said.

The president-elect said the Department of Transportation would be at the center of some of his administration's most ambitious plans to 'œbuild back better,'ť and he predicted Buttigieg would do his part 'œwith focus, decency and a bold vision.'ť

Buttigieg, a native Hoosier, made his home state proud with his groundbreaking presidential campaign. We're confident he'll continue to do so as a member of Joe Biden's cabinet.

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Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. Dec. 26, 2020.

Editorial: Eagle soars from state's endangered list

It's a good time to be a bald eagle in Indiana.

After decades of population declines, the regal bird was recently removed from the state's list of endangered and special concern species 'œdue to evidence of successful recovery.'ť

Habitat loss and industries such as hat-making decimated eagle populations and, by 1897, there were none in Indiana. No eagles were known to have nested here for nearly a century '“ 1900 to 1988.

The state Department of Natural Resources reintroduced 73 eaglets in the 1980s as part of Indiana's first endangered species restoration project, and 'œthe first successful nesting occurred in 1991,'ť according to a news release. Biologists now estimate there are about 300 nesting pairs spread across 84 of Indiana's 92 counties.

Chick production rose 11% from 2019 to this year, DNR officials have said.

'œThe recovery of the bald eagle is one of the greatest conservation success stories in Indiana,'ť the news release says. 'œThis project and ongoing research would not be possible without donations to the Indiana Nongame Wildlife Fund, the main funding source of all nongame and endangered species research and management.'ť

Nationally, the bald eagle population has risen from 417 nesting pairs in 1967 to about 9,700 nesting pairs today in the lower 48 states, according to conservation group Defenders of Wildlife.

The birds remain protected by other laws, despite their removal from the state list.

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