In this week’s edition of Eco Report, we learn about a new documentary film being produced about environmental issues and forest protection in our neck of the woods. Producer Rachael Himsel speaks with Correspondent Zero Roze about her new film, ‘Saving the Hoosier’.
The cost of electricity is rising across the country, forcing Americans to pay more on their monthly bills and squeezing manufacturers and small businesses that rely on cheap power. And some of President Trump’s policies risk making things worse, despite his promises to slash energy prices, companies and researchers say.
This week, the Senate is taking up Mr. Trump’s sweeping domestic policy bill, which has already passed the House. In its current form, that bill would abruptly end most of the Biden-era federal tax credits for low-carbon sources of electricity like wind, solar, batteries and geothermal power. Repealing those credits could increase the average family’s energy bill by as much as $400 per year within a decade, according to several studies published this year.
Indiana wind projects can be a source of revenue through taxes, land leases, and economic development agreements. The latest figures reveal that in 2023, the industry generated $23 million in state and local tax payments. The revenue helps fund areas including schools, hospitals and local businesses, contributing to the overall economic health of the areas. Rural landowners are also benefitting from an additional stream of revenue, sharing in $22 million in annual land lease payments in 2023.
Clean energy manufacturers and advocates say they’re perplexed how the repeal of tax credits in President Donald Trump’s “one big beautiful bill” will keep their domestic production lines humming across the United States, particularly in states that elected him to the Oval Office.
While some Republicans have labeled the billions in tax credits a “green new scam,” statistics reviewed by States Newsroom show the jobs and benefits would boost predominantly GOP-leaning states and congressional districts. Now the industry is already slowing amid Trump’s back-and-forth tariff policy and mixed messaging on energy and manufacturing.
Two Northwest Indiana activism groups joined other environmental groups in sending a petition to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in objection to an air monitoring permit recently approved for Cleveland-Cliffs’ Indiana Harbor facility.
The petition alleges that a permit recently issued to Cleveland-Cliffs from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management falls “significantly short of basic provisions, including failure to include monitoring, testing and recordkeeping” to ensure compliance with the Clean Air Act.
“If this permit is approved as is, the Cleveland-Cliffs facilities (at Indiana Harbor in East Chicago) will likely release harmful emissions into the air…” Ellis Walton, associate attorney at the Environmental Law and Policy Center, said in a Monday news release. “The communities of East Chicago and Gary suffer many environmental injustices already and shouldn’t be forced to bear even more harms from local industry.”
In 2025, Michigan saw significant progress in solar power development, with new utility-scale projects being built and existing initiatives expanding. The state also saw increased focus on brownfield sites for solar energy.
Michigan is making strides in incorporating solar power into its energy mix, with goals to increase renewable energy sources and phase out coal-fired power plants. The state has seen significant growth in solar capacity, and incentives are available to help homeowners and businesses adopt solar technology.
Currently, Michigan’s electricity is made up of 1.25 percent solar energy, enough to power over 230,000 homes. Michigan’s solar industry employs 4,000 citizens through its 223 solar companies. The solar industry has invested $1.7 billion in the state.
In 2025, Iowa is expected to generate 65% of its electricity from renewable sources, placing it as the state with the highest percentage of renewable energy production in the US. Specifically, wind energy contributes 80.1% of Iowa’s electricity production
The Texas Legislature ended its biennial session without passing a slew of bills that could have killed the state’s booming solar and battery sector, and by extension, the ability to keep the Texas grid running amid extreme weather and surging demand for electricity.
It did pass a law that could strengthen the state’s electricity reliability by encouraging the construction of more microgrids — combinations of small-scale gas-fired power, solar, and batteries that can be built quickly. Last week, Texas lawmakers authorized a long-awaited $1.8 billion fund to support microgrid deployment at hospitals, nursing homes, water treatment plants, police and fire stations, and other critical facilities across the state.
In this week’s edition of Eco Report, we learn about a new documentary film being produced about environmental issues and forest protection in our neck of the woods. Producer Rachael Himsel speaks with Correspondent Zero Roze about her new film, ‘Saving the Hoosier’.
Credits:
On Air…………………………………Julianna Dailey
On Air……………………………………….Zero Roze
Headlines…………………………………Norm Holy
Feature Report…………………………… Zero Roze
Script…………………………………Julianna Dailey
Events Calendar…………………….Julianna Dailey
Engineer…………………………..Branden Blewett
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