“The IEPA today is mostly focused on permitting,” said Jennifer Walling, CEO of the Illinois Environmental Council. “When you have a new facility or your permit expires, putting together a permit to allow you to engage in whatever polluting activity you like. They do have inspectors to inspect, fine violations and maybe do a compliance agreement and then enforcement, and there is some space for policy. But if you look at IEPA decades ago, IEPA used to do its own research. There was an entire institute that advised the Pollution Control Board on science, and the review of science in making administrative rulings. These things don’t exist anymore.”
Illinois legislators skip on several environmental bills
June 5, 2025
Some big environmental bills — dealing with transit, clean energy, plastics and more — fizzled last week in Springfield. Advocates say they’re ready to pick up