IEC is Leading Environmental Policy in Chicago

Almost every resident in Chicago has experienced or been affected by urban flooding and basement backups, problems largely tied to overdevelopment and the City’s combined sewer system, which captures both waste and stormwater before sending it to treatment plants. As climate change accelerates, heavier and more frequent rainstorms increasingly overwhelm this system. Chicagoans witnessed this firsthand when the flooding in July and September 2023 and July 2025 left homes, predominantly on the West Side near suburbs submerged. Flooding brings serious health and financial hardships, from exposure to mold and sewage to lost work and school time, as well as damaged property, with the worst impacts concentrated in lower-income neighborhoods such as Chatham, Auburn Gresham, South Shore, West Englewood, Austin, and Chicago Lawn. Beyond flooded homes, excess water forces the sewer system to discharge stormwater, litter, and raw sewage into rivers and, in extreme cases, Lake Michigan. While the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) has constructed reservoirs capable of holding 3.5 billion gallons of rainwater through the Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP), Chicago still faces flooded homes and yards, costly cleanups, and combined sewer overflows that limit the city’s ability to fully embrace its waterways as recreational and economic assets.

It is estimated that ⅛ of all lead service lines in the nation are in Illinois, with 412,000 in Chicago alone, and are more likely to be in working-class, Black, and Brown communities. The threat of lead in our drinking water is significant and disproportionately impacts children, leading to lower IQs, learning disabilities, and even violent behavior. It is estimated to cost up to $10-14 billion to replace all of them. And, for individual homeowners, the cost of replacing a lead pipe can reach up to $35,000—a price tag that’s simply out of reach for many.

Since 2010, Chicago’s water rates have quadrupled, leaving thousands of homeowners, predominantly in Black and low-income neighborhoods, unable to pay their water bills. As a result, many families have lost access to water, a basic necessity, and owe debt to the city. In total, Chicago homeowners owe $780 million in water debt. The City currently runs the Utility Billing Relief (UBR) program, which has helped low-income homeowners pay off their water debt. However, a water assistance program available to renters and a tiered water rate system are needed to ensure long-term water affordability. By expanding affordability programs and ending punitive debt collection practices, Chicago can ensure all residents maintain access to water while also helping residents repay what they can and allowing the city to recover long-term revenue.

A combination of historical redlining, current zoning laws and continual disinvestment have created communities where pollution is the expectation. From MAT Asphalt on the Southwest Side to General Iron’s attempt to move to the Southeast Side, and the community-led rejection of a new Confined Disposal Facility in South Chicago. These neighborhoods are disproportionately targeted as dumping grounds, and now face additional threats from the rise of e-commerce and artificial intelligence, which bring warehouses, data centers, and increased rail activity that worsen air quality through heavy diesel truck traffic and emissions.

• Hazel M. Johnson Cumulative Impacts Ordinance (2025): Named after Hazel M. Johnson, who is known as the “Mother of Environmental Justice” and founder of People for Community Recovery. She was a lifelong advocate against environmental racism, fighting to address pollution in Black and low-income communities. This ordinance would require new or expanding heavy industrial facilities to undergo a more thorough zoning process before receiving a permit. As part of the process, these facilities would be required to conduct a cumulative impact study to assess potential environmental and health impacts. These cumulative impact studies would be reviewed by a new Environmental Justice Advisory Board, a diverse group that would include members of communities historically impacted by pollution. IEC and environmental justice partners continue to work hard to pass the legislation. 

The presence of nature within Chicago is directly connected to quality of life and the environment. We have seen a decrease in the amount of open spaces—parks, forest preserves, conservation areas, recreation areas—from Chicago’s rapid urbanization of surrounding areas. Chicago has one of the lowest metropolitan tree canopies and uneven tree distribution across the city is both an environmental and equity issue. Trees provide critical benefits—they reduce heating and cooling costs, increase property value, improve air quality, and help prevent flooding. Despite these benefits, funding for the Bureau of Forestry has remained stagnant (or declined) for the past five years. Without proper resources for tree maintenance and an updated Tree Inventory, Chicago risks further canopy loss, underscoring the urgent need to promote and preserve open spaces.

The growth of urban agriculture and the local food movement is a means for food sovereignty, economic development, and healthier communities. Therefore, we need to ensure that urban farmers have every opportunity to provide the city with fresh, local foods. Reliable, affordable access to city water is essential for a thriving urban agriculture community and healthy food access.

According to the 2021 Chicago Waste Strategy, the city generates more than 4 million tons of waste material yearly, and each year, 22 million pounds of plastic end up in the Great Lakes, with over half in Lake Michigan. While other cities have managed to divert nearly 80% from waste streams, only 10% of Chicago residential waste gets recycled; the remainder goes to landfills and in our streets, parks, the Chicago River, and the lakefront. When plastics enter our water, they do not disappear. They break into smaller and smaller pieces that harm wildlife and pollute our drinking water (including bottled water!).

Chicago has historically struggled with air pollution and still fails to meet federal air quality standards for ozone smog. With a vast highway system, freight rail, CTA rail and bus, Metra commuter rail, and Amtrak interurban passenger rail, this city is a transportation and logistics hub. The 2.7 million residents of Chicago require fast, reliable ways to get around. We need to make the most environmentally friendly modes more attractive to increase the overall sustainability of our city. Yet, 31% of transit infrastructure is past its useful life. As bus speeds have been declining over recent years, people have been choosing less sustainable modes of transportation. To ensure we gain the greatest benefits from every precious tax dollar, we must invest our transportation dollars strategically and prioritize the most environmentally sustainable modes. Therefore, Chicago needs to invest in transportation infrastructure and plan for a City and a region that grows our economy, connects communities, and reduces public health threats. 

As a City with a diverse and growing population, we need to ensure future generations are protected and provided with clean air. In January 2025, all of city-owned buildings and the O’Hare and Midway airports became fully powered by 100% renewable energy. Further eliminating our reliance on fossil fuels and instead turning to renewable energy can turn the city into a revolutionary energy powerhouse. By investing in community solar and  phasing out fossil fuel appliances in homes, Chicago will become a national leader in clean energy.