The state of Illinois’ environment in 2025

The state of environmental policy is in flux. Fifty-five years after the first Earth Day, Americans are divided on environmental policy on a way that wasn’t always true. In states like Illinois, Democrats are pushing to transition to cleaner energy sources, though not fast enough for some activists. In Washington, under the second Trump administration, environmental policies are being rewritten-in some cases turning back the clock decades.

A reporter who covers climate issues as well as some environmental advocates join the conversation.

GUESTS

Jennifer Walling 
Executive Director, Illinois Environmental Council

Jack Darin 
Director, Sierra Club – Illinois Chapter

Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco 
Midwest Climate Reporter, WBEZ and Grist

Read the full story here.

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Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order Tuesday directing city departments to intensify scrutiny of new data centers in Chicago — a politically potent move that doesn’t unilaterally impose new limits on the fast-growing industry, but could slow its growth.
Every year, the Illinois Environmental Council (IEC) issues a voting scorecard that grades members of the Illinois General Assembly on how they voted for bills affecting the environment.
Richard Chew is joined by Dany Robles, senior legislative director at the Illinois Environmental Council (IEC); he talks about IEC's 2026 Legislative Environmental Scorecard.