logo
PSC's decision to OK gas plants feels like rubber stamp for WE Energies

PSC's decision to OK gas plants feels like rubber stamp for WE Energies

Yahoo2 days ago

The recent decision by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin shows a clear dereliction of duty by the agency tasked with regulating utility companies ("We Energies gas plants approved by Wisconsin PSC despite strong objections," May 22).
The PSC is responsible to ensure utility services are safe, reliable, affordable and environmentally responsible. Yet it approved the Town of Paris and Oak Creek gas plants despite overwhelming public opposition. So many people showed up at the Oak Creek hearing that not everyone had a chance to speak.
Why hold public hearings if the outcome is predetermined? This decision feels like a rubber stamp for WE Energies rather than a fair process. This lack of accountability is deeply unsettling and continues to erode Americans' trust in public institutions. The clean energy movement is the future, and our voices cannot be ignored forever.
It's time to stop letting regulators do the bidding of corporate utilities and start forcing them to serve the public interest.
Georgia Rockwell, Milwaukee
Letters: House budget provision exempts executive branch from following court orders
Opinion: WI is having renewable energy transformation. Natural gas plays vital role.
Opinion: There are more efficient ways for We Energies to power WI. Start with saving.
Here are some tips to get your views shared with your friends, family, neighbors and across our state:
Please include your name, street address and daytime phone.
Generally, we limit letters to 200 words.
Cite sources of where you found information or the article that prompted your letter.
Be civil and constructive, especially when criticizing.
Avoid ad hominem attacks, take issue with a position, not a person.
We cannot acknowledge receipt of submissions.
We don't publish poetry, anonymous or open letters.
Each writer is limited to one published letter every two months.
All letters are subject to editing.
Write: Letters to the editor, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 330 E. Kilbourn Avenue, Suite 500, Milwaukee, WI, 53202. Fax: (414)-223-5444. E-mail: jsedit@jrn.com or submit using the form that can be found on the on the bottom of this page.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: PSC OK'd gas plants despite overwhelming public opposition | Letters

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Trump administration sues New York over law barring warrantless immigration arrests at courthouses
Trump administration sues New York over law barring warrantless immigration arrests at courthouses

Hamilton Spectator

time9 minutes ago

  • Hamilton Spectator

Trump administration sues New York over law barring warrantless immigration arrests at courthouses

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — The Trump administration sued New York state Thursday over a law that blocks immigration officials from arresting people at New York courthouses, saying it purposely shields dangerous criminals. The lawsuit in New York's Northern District is the latest in a series of legal actions targeting state or local policies the administration says interfere with immigration enforcement, authorities said. 'Lawless sanctuary city policies are the root cause of the violence that Americans have seen in California, and New York State is similarly employing sanctuary city policies to prevent illegal aliens from apprehension,' U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a news release. New York's 2020 Protect Our Courts Act bans federal immigration officials from arresting people who are coming and going from courthouses or in court for proceedings unless they have a warrant signed by a judge. Democratic state Sen. Brad Hoylman , the bill's sponsor, said at the time the legislation was a rebuke to the first Trump administration's practice of turning New York courts into 'hunting grounds' for federal agents. The Justice Department's lawsuit said arrests in or near courthouses are safer for officers and the public because individuals are screened for weapons and contraband before entering the buildings. Emails seeking comment were sent to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul's office and Hoylman. Hochul is among a group of Democratic governors in Washington on Thursday to face questioning from Congress over policies limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .

Major student-loan repayment changes are one step closer for parents, grad students, and millions more borrowers
Major student-loan repayment changes are one step closer for parents, grad students, and millions more borrowers

Business Insider

time23 minutes ago

  • Business Insider

Major student-loan repayment changes are one step closer for parents, grad students, and millions more borrowers

Millions of student-loan borrowers could see major changes to their repayment plans under the Senate's new education spending proposal. On Tuesday, Sen. Bill Cassidy — chair of the Senate education committee — unveiled the education portion GOP lawmakers are seeking to include in President Donald Trump's spending bill. After the House passed its version of the sweeping spending legislation in late May, the Senate is now moving forward with its own amendments to the legislation before aiming to get it passed this summer. Some elements of the legislation are the same as the ones that the House passed, like condensing existing income-driven repayment plans, while other areas, like caps on loans for parents and graduate students, have changed. "We need to fix our broken higher education system, so it prioritizes student success and ensures Americans have the skills to compete in a 21 st century economy," Cassidy said in a statement. "President Trump and Senate Republicans are focused on delivering results for American families and this bill does just that." The Senate's bill proposes eliminating existing income-driven repayment plans, including PAYE, income-contingent repayment, and former President Joe Biden's SAVE plan, and replacing them with two new plans. The first plan — the standard repayment plan — allows borrowers to make fixed payments for 10-25 years based on the original amount they borrowed, while the second plan — the repayment assistance plan — sets payments at 1-10% of a borrower's income with a minimum monthly payment of $10. The plan would waive unpaid interest, and any remaining balance would be forgiven after 30 years. This matches the House's proposal, and if signed into law, it would mean borrowers would have fewer options to repay their loans under less generous terms than the existing plans. The bill also proposes some new changes to loan limits. It would eliminate graduate PLUS loans, which allow graduate students to cover up to the full cost of attendance, cap unsubsidized loans for graduate school, like a master's degree, at $20,500 per year, and cap professional loans, like law school, at $50,000 per year. It would also cap parent PLUS loans at $20,000 per student per year, and eliminate loan deferment for economic hardship and unemployment. Some advocates expressed concern with the proposed caps on borrowing. Melanie Storey, president and CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, said in a statement that "there are several concerning aspects of this bill that would ultimately make college less affordable for students." Those include "the elimination of the Grad PLUS loan program, the elimination of deferment options for student loan borrowers facing economic hardship or unemployment, and new limits imposed on the Parent PLUS loan program that may drive borrowers to riskier private loans, which are not available to all borrowers," Storey said. The legislation could still face changes before it goes to the Senate floor for a vote. More broadly, millions of student-loan borrowers are facing a slew of other changes to the student-loan system. Trump restarted collections on defaulted student loans on May 5, and while the administration said it would pause Social Security garnishment, it still expects to begin wage garnishment for defaulted borrowers later this summer. Sameer Gadkaree, president of The Institute for College Access and Success, said in a statement that the GOP spending bill could add to challenges of the collections restart by "making student debt much harder to repay" and "unleashing an avalanche of student loan defaults."

DHS official asks Kim Kardashian which murderers, rapists she would like to see ICE put back on streets
DHS official asks Kim Kardashian which murderers, rapists she would like to see ICE put back on streets

Fox News

time28 minutes ago

  • Fox News

DHS official asks Kim Kardashian which murderers, rapists she would like to see ICE put back on streets

Assistant Department of Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin did not take Kim Kardashian's public criticism of President Donald Trump's immigration agenda lightly on Wednesday. After Kardashian stated on Instagram that immigrants in Los Angeles are suffering "fear and injustice" thanks to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in the city, McLaughlin fired back on X, sharing photos of various criminal illegal immigrants detained by ICE and asking the reality TV star which ones should be released. "@KimKardashian, which one of these convicted child molesters, murderers, drug traffickers and rapists would you like to stay in the county?" she posted. In the midst of violent riots in downtown Los Angeles aimed at disrupting ICE operations in the city, the celebrity pleaded with the government to find a "BETTER way" of curbing illegal immigration. In an Instagram story she shared on Tuesday, Kardashian stated, "Growing up in LA, I've seen how deeply immigrants are woven into the fabric of this city. They are our neighbors, friends, classmates, coworkers, and family. No matter where you fall politically, it's clear that our communities thrive because of the contributions of immigrants. We can't turn a blind eye when fear and injustice keep people from living their lives freely and safely." "There HAS to be a BETTER way," she added. McLaughlin attached brief bios of illegal immigrants with alleged criminal records that ICE had rounded up in Los Angeles to her post. According to DHS, the bio for one person, Eswin Uriel Castro, stated that, in addition to him being an illegal immigrant, he "has criminal convictions for child molestation and being armed with a dangerous weapon. He has also been arrested for robbery and domestic violence." For Gerardo Antonio-Palacios, DHS claimed that the illegal immigrant from Mexico has "criminal convictions for homicide and burglary." The bio also stated that he was previously deported. McLaughlin shared a DHS description of illegal immigrant Antonio Benitez-Ugarte, stating he "has been convicted of drug trafficking." She also shared one of Mab Khaleb, describing him as a "53-year-old illegal alien from Cambodia" whose "criminal history includes a conviction for transport of a controlled substance, possession of controlled substance, lewd action with a child, and battery." "These are just a few of the convicted illegal criminals who have been picked up in the last 72 hours," the DHS official added. White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson also responded to Kardashian's post, telling Fox News Digital, "President Trump is keeping his promise to the American people to deport illegal aliens. He will carry out the mission that millions of hardworking, patriotic Americans endorsed – not listen to the whims of out-of-touch Hollywood celebrities."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store