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ILSR's Publications
Titles from the New Rules Project
 Self-Reliant Cities
Energy and the Transformation of Urban America - by David Morris
Originally published in 1982, we're making this book available as a free download since many of its discussions are as relevant today as they were 25 years ago. The first half of discusses the century-long struggle by cities to gain autonomy and authority from state governments and create their own planning and service delivery capacities. The second part describes the first urban-based localization movements and the successes and challenges. We've pulled out a particularly nice section to stand on its own, Chapter 9: The Ecological City (with new forward).
Download the full book with the new forward
Rural Power: Community-Scaled Renewable Energy and Rural Economic Development
The next 20 years could generate as much as $1 trillion in new renewable energy investment in rural America. This September 2008, Ford Foundation-sponsored study by John Farrell and David Morris provides a policy roadmap for states and the federal government that would encourage modest-sized renewable energy facilities and local ownership. Full Report - Executive Summary
Balancing Budgets By Raising Depletion Taxes
This June 2008 policy brief by Justin Dahlheimer concludes that states could generate hundreds of millions, in some cases billions, of dollars in additional revenue each year by implementing or adjusting depletion tax policies. The report illustrates how current depletion tax policies, in many cases, fail to account for the full value of the natural resources, depriving state and local governments of additional revenue that could be useful in current and future fiscal years. View the Press Release and Download the full report
Concentrating Solar and Decentralized Power: Government Incentives Hinder Local Ownership
Can residential rooftop solar compete with new utility-scale concentrating solar electric plants? Only if federal and state incentives are amended to level the playing field. This May 2008 report by John Farrell explores the economics of solar PV and concentrating solar and shows how local ownership is hindered unless government solar incentives change. View the Press Release and Download the revised edition of the full report
Driving Our Way to Energy Independence
by David Morris
March 2008
View Executive Summary and Download the full report
This report describes how commercially available technologies today could transform our petroleum powered transportation system into one powered by electricity and biofuels. Provisions in the recently passed Energy Act could accelerate that transformation. With the adoption of complementary policies, the revolution in our transportation sector can generate an equally profound revolution in our electricity sector. Hundreds of thousands of locally owned wind turbines and solar electric arrays supplying flexible fueled, plug-in hybrid vehicles can allow tens of millions of Americans to become energy producers not just energy consumers.
Carbon Caps With Universal Dividends: Equitable, Ethical & Politically Effective Climate Policy
by John Bailey
January 2008
Download the full report
This policy brief concludes that universal dividends are a critically important tool to create the political will and public acceptance for a carbon cap. Universal dividends have the potential to hold harmless a large segment of consumers while we move to a low-carbon economy. Moreover, the universal dividend honors the principle that the sky belongs to all of us equally. Private investment in clean and efficient technologies will be driven by a carbon cap that leads to steady reductions over time of GHG emissions and carbon-based fuels.
Municipal Broadband: Demystifying Wireless and Fiber-Optic Options
by Christopher Mitchell
January 2008
Download the full report
This policy brief examines how the United States, creator of the Internet, increasingly lags in high-speed access to it. In the absence of a national broadband strategy, hundreds of communities have invested in broadband infrastructure to solve their problem locally. This report highlights how communities are continuing to invest in broadband networks - both wired and wireless - and digs deeper into these technologies and the tradeoffs of each. The solution: wireless solves the mobility problem; fiber solves the speed and capacity problems; and public ownership offers a network built to benefit the community.
Minnesota Feed-In Tariff Could Lower Cost, Boost Renewables and Expand Local Ownership
by John Farrell
January 2008
Download Full Report
This policy brief highlights how several European countries, and more recently the Canadian province of Ontario, have adopted a simple yet powerful strategy to expand renewable energy and benefit local economies. It is called a feed-in tariff: a mandated, long-term premium price for renewable energy paid by the local electric utility to energy producers. Evidence shows that a feed-in tariff achieves greater results at a lower cost than do other strategies like tax incentives or renewable electricity standards (View Executive Summary)
The Policy Gap: Minnesota Energy Policy vs. Minnesota Climate Policy
by David Morris, John Farrell and John Bailey
November 2007
Download Full Report
This policy brief examines the impact that Minnesota's energy policies will have on Minnesota's greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals. Even if fully achieved, the state's energy policies would simply slow the rate at which GHG emissions continue to grow (also see the Executive Summary).
Burlington Telecom Case Study
by Christopher Mitchell
September 2007
download the report
This case study examines how one community in Vermont solved its broadband problems and created a new revenue source by building a city wide fiber optic network [also summary].
Wind and Ethanol: Economies and Diseconomies of Scale
by John Farrell
August 2007
download the report
This report finds that there are indeed small cost reductions from very large scale, absentee owned renewable energy facilities. But these are overshadowed by the significant loss in potential economic benefits from locally owned and more modestly scaled facilities.
Making Cellulosic Ethanol Happen: Good and Not So Good Public Policy
by David Morris
January 2007
download the report
This report provides an analysis of federal policies that are both good and bad related to creating a viable cellulosic ethanol industry based on two building blocks: 1) Commercial technologies that produce ethanol from cellulose and 2) A cultivation, transportation and storage infrastructure that delivers cellulose to biorefineries
Lessons from the Pioneers: Tackling Global Warming at the Local Level
by John Bailey
January 2007
Download Full Report- view summary
This report looks at ten of the most visible and successful cities involved in global warming solutions and finds that reducing GHG emissions below 1990 levels will be a major challenge. Many cities will likely not meet their goals unless complementary state and federal policies are put in place very soon.
Localizing the Internet: Five Ways Public Ownership Solves the U.S. Broadband Problem
by Becca Vargo Daggett
January 2007
Download Full Report - view summary
This report argues that a publicly owned information infrastructure is the key to healthy competition, universal access, and non-discriminatory rates. The paper notes that high speed broadband is becoming ever more widespread. But, it argues, the way in which that broadband is introduced may be as important as whether it is introduced.
Big Box Swindle: The True Cost of Mega-Retailers and the Fight for America's Independent Businesses
by Stacy Mitchell
October 2006
In this deft and revealing book, Stacy Mitchell illustrates how mega-retailers are fueling many of our most pressing problems, from the shrinking middle class to rising pollution and diminished civic engagement. She then shows how communities and independent businesses are effectively fighting back. Buy Big Box Swindle Today! [published by Beacon Press]
Putting the Pieces Together: Commercializing Cellulosic Ethanol
by David Morris
September 2006
Download Full Report
A report examining federal policies supporting cellulosic ethanol production and advocating that the Federal government adopt strategies that support farmer-owned biorefineries.
10 Reasons Why Maine's Homegrown Economy Matters: And 50 Proven Ways to Revive It
by Stacy Mitchell
May 2006
Download Full Report
Published by the Maine Businesses for Social Responsibility. Detailed here are practical tools for strengthening locally owned business.
Ownership Matters: Three Steps to Ensure a Biofuels Industry That Truly Benefits Rural America
by David Morris
April 2006
Download Full Report
A paper adapted from a speech given at the Minnesota Ag Expo 2006. The paper provides a snapshot of today's biofuels industry and a roadmap to ensure that local farmers see significant benefits from the expanding industry in the future.
Climate Neutral Bonding: Building Global Warming Solutions at the State And Local Level
by John Bailey
February 2006
Download Full Report
This February 2006 policy brief by John Bailey provides background and analysis to support a state or local policy that would require construction projects funded with tax-exempt bonds to result in no net increases in greenhouse gases within the community. See also our Model Resolution on Climate Neutral Bonding for Cities
Renewable Electricity Mandates in Minnesota: Status and Impact
by John Bailey and David Morris
February 2006
Download Full Report
This paper by John Bailey and David Morris offers a brief overview of the existing renewable electricity mandates in Minnesota, and discusses the impact a proposed extension and expansion of these mandates might have. [see also Press Release]
Who Will Own Minnesota's Information Highways?
by Becca Vargo Daggett and David Morris
June 2005
Download Full Report
This report shows how competitive broadband service and pricing is within reach of most Minnesotans if anti-competitive polices and practices are removed and municipal governments build broadband infrastructure. Press Release
Minnesota's Biomass Mandate: An Assessment
by David Morris
June 2005
Download the Report
This report concludes that the Minnesota biomass mandate, rather than jump-starting a new industry using new energy crops, has become little more than a very costly waste-to-energy program. Press Release
A Better Way to Get From Here to There: A Commentary on the Hydrogen Economy and a Proposal for an Alternative Strategy
by David Morris
January 2004
Download Full Report PDF
The idea of a hydrogen economy has burst like a supernova over the energy policy landscape, mesmerizing us with its possibilities while blinding us to its weaknesses. Such a fierce spotlight on hydrogen is pushing more promising strategies into the shadows.
The hydrogen economy is offered as an all-purpose idea, a universal solution. However, in the short and medium term a crash program to build a hydrogen infrastructure can have unwanted and even damaging consequences. This is especially true for the transportation sector, the transformation of which is the primary focus of hydrogen advocates and the highest priority of federal efforts.
Saving Money, Energy and Environment on BART
By Tom Lent
January 2004
Download the Full Report
A comparative analysis of economic, environmental and energy impacts of commuting on the Bay Area Rapid Transit system instead of by automobile.
Seeing the Light: Regaining Control of Our Electricity System
by David Morris
2001, 160 pgs - Order the Book Online
$15.00 (plus S&H)
Seeing the Light: Regaining Control of Our Electricity System is the newest book from the New Rules Project and provides the overarching discussions of the framework for the electricity rules on our New Rules project web site. A "must read" according to Senator Paul Wellstone.
The Home Town Advantage: How to Defend Your Main Street Against Chain Stores and Why It Matters
by Stacy Mitchell
2000, 101 pages - Order the Book Online
$14.00 (plus S&H)
Across the U.S., cities and towns are grappling with the proliferation of chain stores and the loss of locally owned businesses. But this is not the inevitable result of free market forces: current public policy actively encourages absentee ownership and concentration. It is time to change the rules. From local zoning ordinances to federal antitrust policy, this book provides a comprehensive guide to reviving the homegrown economy.
Closer to Home: A Conversation about Local Ownership & Community (conference proceedings)
1998, 43 pages
Download the Full Report
These proceedings from ILSR’s Place Matters Conference (held November 12, 1998, in Minneapolis) are popular among local policymakers. Independent banks, bookstores, pharmacies, municipal utilities, public libraries, and agricultural and regional colleges are represented in this discussion of the benefits of a local alliance and the possibilities of nurturing a healthy local economy.
Roots, Roots, Roots for the Home Team: Community-Owned Professional Sports
by Daniel Kraker and David Morris
1998, 20 pages
$10.00 - View Executive Summary
Professional sports teams have become notoriously mobile, their locations determined by owners who regularly threaten to move unless a costly new stadium is built at the taxpayers’ expense. This report provides examples (from the Green Bay Packers to the Toledo Mud Hens) of successful community ownership of sports teams, and explains how this model could revitalize professional sports.
The New Rules (no longer published)
Back issues available for $5 each - back issues on-line
In this global economy, the rules often benefit special interest groups and multinational corporations rather than individuals and communities. The New Rules focused on how to redesign the rules—from trade rules to local zoning codes—to strengthen local economies and encourage citizen involvement. Nominated for Utne Reader’s 1999, 2000, and 2001 Alternative Press Awards.
Don’t Bribe ‘Em. Buy ‘Em: A strategic proposal on how New Yorkers can create—and control—a minor baseball league of their own
by Daniel Kraker and David Morris
1998, 8 pages
View Full Report Online - Also Executive Summary
This action brief responds to New York’s plan to spend nearly $50 million to build two minor league stadiums. The main argument: why not spend that money to buy the teams, rooting them permanently in their communities? This paper reviews the fan ownership movement and how to establish community-owned sports teams.
Taxing Wind Energy In Minnesota (monograph)
by John Bailey and David Morris
1995, 21 pages
Download Full Report PDF
In response to state legislative initiatives that would impose a tax on wind energy, this report provides an analysis of several different scenarios. The report compares and contrasts the effects of different tax strategies on the local communities in the path of future wind development and the cost of producing electricity from wind.
Green Taxes (monograph)
by David Morris
1994, 10 pages
View Online
This monograph offers examples of significant green taxes in the U.S. and Europe, and proposes a policy framework for approaching the issue of implementing taxes as a means to protect the environment.
Getting from Here to There: Building a Rational Transportation System (monograph)
by David Morris
1992, 7 pages
$5.00
ISBN 0-917582-28-4, LC 92-14926
America’s love affair with the automobile is costing us far more than we may suspect. This concise report discusses transportation alternatives to cars, and looks at local initiatives designed to reduce auto traffic. Using the least-cost planning concepts of electric utilities to achieve energy efficiency as a guide, the author suggests new transportation policies that satisfy need rather than meet projected demand.
Making the Car Pay Its Way: The Case of Minneapolis Roads (monograph)
by John Bailey
1992, 11 pages
Download PDF file
This report, based on data from Minneapolis, concludes that local roads are highly subsidized by non-transportation revenues, specifically property taxes. It shows the impact on Minneapolis households if car owners paid the full cost of road maintenance and if property taxes were reduced by a similar amount.
Getting the Most from Our Materials: Making New Jersey the State of the Art
by David Morris, Brenda Platt, Daniel Sapon-Borson, Matt Gallaway, and Irshad Ahmed
1991, 85 pages
$25.00
This report outlines a comprehensive materials policy that links energy, water, sewage sludge, solid waste, transportation, agriculture, and forestry. It also lists a wealth of proven and commercially viable strategies to achieve sustainability while boosting New Jersey’s economy.
The Trade Papers (monograph)
by David Morris
1991, 21 pages
Part 1—Free Trade - The Great Destroyer
Part 2—Trading Our Future: Talking Back to GATT
$9.00
Part 1 critically examines the premises of competition, economies of scale, and price as a measure of efficiency. Part 2 exposes the consequences of the push to deregulate trade so as to favor transnational corporations at the expense of national sovereignty, the Third World, workers’ rights, the environment, and the ability of citizens to democratically determine the future of their communities.
A Molecular Basis for Development: An Environmental Policy for the 1990s (monograph)
by David Morris
1990, 9 pages
$5.00
This monograph clearly presents the need for a comprehensive and environmentally sound materials policy. It establishes a rationale for synergistically working for energy efficiency, a drastic reduction in the consumption of raw materials, and a shift from fossil fuels to solar energy and plant matter as sources of energy and industrial materials. An excellent resource for those interested in strategies for realizing the vision of an environmentally sustainable, self-reliant economy.
The Homegrown Economy: A Prescription for Saint Paul’s Future (Monograph)
by David Morris
1983, 28 pages
$8.00
Produced for the citizens of Saint Paul, Minnesota, this booklet describes resource flows within the city and provides a look at local enterprises that serve as models of self-reliant economic development.
The New City-States
by David Morris
1982, 76 pages
$9.00
ISBN 0-917582-49-7, LC 82-82572
This study examines the changing role of the municipal corporation in overall planning and development, and presents strategies for citizens to spur economic development based on local self-reliance.
Self-Reliant Cities
by David Morris
1982, 250 pages
Sierra Club Books
$15.00
ISBN 0-87156-296-0, LC 81-18301
This classic text looks at the historic relationships of American cities to energy and envisions a future where urban production and consumption are again closely linked. It describes cities that use their municipal authority to finance and regulate decentralized, renewable energy systems, and offers a blueprint for survival in a resource-conscious age.
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