Op-Ed by Jen Walling for Chicago Sun-Times:
Americans are less safe and healthy today because of the Trump administration.
This time will be defined in part by a legacy of curtailing bedrock environmental protections, including rescinding the U.S. EPA’s greenhouse gas endangerment finding, weakening vehicle emissions standards, accelerating fossil fuel permitting and, most recently, curtailing clean water protections, all in an increasingly warming world.
They’re trading off our long-term health to scratch the backs of big polluters for short-term profits, and the uncomfortable truth is Americans will die as a result.
It’s a different story here in Illinois, where we’ve chosen a path grounded in science, public health and the understanding that clean air and clean water keep life more affordable for average Illinoisans. In stark contrast to Trump, Gov. JB Pritzker and his administration — especially Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Director James Jennings — have built one of the strongest state-level environmental records in the country. Together, they’re effectively inoculating Illinoisans from some of the worst environmental impacts.
This leadership has become increasingly important. For example, the Trump administration recently announced its intention to roll back protective national drinking water standards for toxic Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, in community water supplies. Now found in drinking water, wildlife and even human bloodstream, these “forever chemicals” are linked to cancer, immune system suppression and developmental harms.
Not only has the state moved aggressively to address PFAS since 2020, but this legislative session, the Pritzker administration and Illinois EPA advanced legislation, sponsored by state Sen. Laura Ellman and state Rep. Ann Williams, to end the automatic adoption of weakened federal environmental standards in Illinois.
Now, Illinois will keep its superior PFAS standards in place.