New Rules Press Releases

In Minnesota, a de facto limit on broadband

By Christopher Mitchell on March 15, 2010

The vast majority of Minnesotans, like the rest of the country, are served by only two broadband suppliers: the cable or telephone company. These companies generally want to maintain their monopolies because they can postpone upgrades while keeping prices and profits high. Just about everyone else just wants a better choice among providers.

Here in Minnesota, Monticello has broken the mold with a smart investment in a publicly owned network. More

New Wind Data Finds a Windier, More Self-Reliant Midwest

March 3, 2010

Five Midwest states (Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio) could get nearly all their electricity from wind, according to updated maps from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR). New data from Wind Powering America mean that 32 states could get all of their electricity from in-state resources, even more than initially revealed in ILSR's ground-breaking report last fall, Energy Self-Reliant States. The revised estimates come from the National Renewable Energy Lab's Wind Powering America project and are the first nationwide update since the early 1990s. More

Holiday Sales Increase at Independent Businesses, National Survey Finds

January 14, 2010

MINNEAPOLIS, MN (Jan. 14, 2010) - More holiday shoppers deliberately sought out locally owned businesses this year, according to a national survey of more than 1,800 independent businesses.

The survey found that holiday sales for independent retailers were up an average of 2.2%. That contrasts with the Commerce Department figures released today, which show that overall retail sales were down 0.3% in December and up 1.8% in November.

The survey also found that independent retailers in cities with active "Buy Local" or "Think Local First" campaigns reported stronger holiday sales than those in cities without such campaigns. More

President’s Smart Grid Grants are not a Transmission Superhighway, Thankfully

October 29, 2009

There’s good news and bad news in President Obama’s announcement Wednesday of 100 grants totaling $3.4 billion to build a smarter electric grid. The good news is the grants. The bad news is that President Obama continues to conflate the need for a smart grid with the need for a new national high voltage grid. More

Press release: 31 States can be Self-Sufficient with In-State Renewable Energy

October 6, 2009

States donʼt need to seek energy imports to meet their renewable energy goals. Energy Self-Reliant States ﬁnds that almost the entire country west of the Mississippi and parts of the Eastern Seaboard (a total of 31 states) can serve all their electricity needs with in-state renewable power, and that every state could reach its renewable mandate with domestically available renewable resources. More

Chattanooga Launches Nation's Largest Muni Fiber Network

September 28, 2009

ILSR is pleased to congratulate Chattanooga, Tennessee, for building the largest publicly owned, full fiber network in the United States. Chattanooga’s public power utility, EPB, began offering telephone, broadband, and television services on its network on September 15.

This broadband network will allow smart-grid applications for the electrical utility as well as offer local support, faster speeds for both uploading and downloading. More

How the Obama Administration Dismantled the Public Interest Provisions of the Broadband Stimulus

July 28, 2009

ILSR's MuniNetworks.org has published a story explaining how the Obama Administration ignored Congress to favor private companies over public networks when distributing the broadband stimulus.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), which is now accepting applications for its broadband stimulus program, has crafted rules that benefit private companies at the expense of the public interest. More

Statement in Response to Wal-Mart's Announced Eco-Label Program for Products

July 16, 2009

By keeping the focus of its sustainability efforts on suppliers, Wal-Mart continues to distract attention from the enormous -- and growing -- environmental impact of its own business model and operations. More

ILSR Launches MuniNetworks.org

June 4, 2009

ILSR announces a new site focusing on publicly owned broadband networks and the benefits they offer to the community. MuniNetworks.org explains the many advantages of community ownership and documents the impressive speeds available from some of the top-performing networks. Community broadband networks offer some of the fastest speeds at the most affordable prices in the United States. More

CapX Transmission Line Decision Ignored Current Economic Realities

April 17, 2009

The Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) and the North American Water Office (NAWO) find today's decision by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to approve nearly $2 billion in ratepayer money for 650 miles of new high voltage transmission lines (known as CapX) to be willfully shortsighted. The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission's decision represents a slap in the face to Minnesota ratepayers and deals another setback for building a homegrown, decentralized energy future. More