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Bill aims to give communities a voice during EPA permitting process

Lawmakers that are pushing for this bill say it’ll give people more of a say on how facilities are handling pollution in their communities. However, lawmakers that voted against the bill said the new updates could put harsh restrictions on smaller businesses. Ariel Hampton with the Illinois Environmental Council said this legislation would hold facilities

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Gong-Gershowitz drug take-back bill passes Illinois House

“Proper disposal of prescription drugs will work to protect Illinois’ wildlife, waterways and drinking water. We are grateful to Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz for her leadership and to the business community for working to reach agreement on this important policy,” Jen Walling, executive director of the Illinois Environmental Council, said in the release.” Read the full

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League of Conservation Voters 2021 National Scorecard Shows Illinois Delegation Strongly Support Our Environment and Democracy

Springfield, IL – Today, the Illinois Environmental Council (IEC), state affiliate of the League of Conservation Voters (LCV), announced the Illinois congressional delegation’s scores on LCV’s 2021 National Environmental Scorecard. The Scorecard is the primary yardstick for evaluating the environmental records of members of Congress since 1970 and is available for download in English here,

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2021 LCV National Environmental Scorecard

The Illinois Environmental Council is the state affiliate of the League of Conservation Voters. Each year, LCV releases their National Environmental Scorecard. The Scorecard is the primary yardstick for evaluating the environmental records of every member of Congress. View the scorecard below, en Español, or at scorecard.lcv.org. Click here if scorecard fails to load.

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500+ Illinoisans Mobilize in Support of Environmental Justice Legislation

Hundreds Rally for Passage of Industrial Permitting Reform, Protections for Power Plant Communities, Voting Rights and more SPRINGFIELD, IL – More than 500 Illinoisans mobilized today for an environmental justice-focused lobby day and rally. Participants urged their legislators to pass bills that address environmental injustices impacting historically marginalized communities across Illinois. The environmental justice movement

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Statement: Illinois Environmental Council Applauds Southeast Side Community in General Iron Victory

Lightfoot Administration Upholds Commitment to Environmental Justice and Public Health Note: This content was circulated exclusively on social media and not distributed to the press. IEC suggests reporters reach out to community groups who have led the General Iron fight. Should you need contact information for those leaders, IEC’s communications director, Tucker Barry, can put

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Secretary Buttigieg in Bloomington-Normal Celebrating New Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Investments

Illinois Uniquely Positioned to Create Jobs with Federal Investments BLOOMINGTON-NORMAL, IL – Tomorrow, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will travel to the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area to highlight the Illinois Department of Transportation’s work to make electric vehicles more accessible to all Illinoisans. Secretary Buttigieg’s visit comes on the heels of yesterday’s announcement from President Biden’s Department

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Statement: Gov. Pritzker’s FY23 Budget Proposal a Historic Commitment to Climate Solutions

(Springfield, IL) – Today, the Illinois Environmental Council (IEC) reacted to Gov. JB Pritzker’s annual State of the State address and FY23 budget proposal issuing the following statement: “The Illinois Environmental Council applauds Gov. JB Pritzker for proposing a state budget that prioritizes resources for combatting climate change, a first in Illinois history. Never before

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Illinois — a major feeder to the Gulf of Mexico dead zone — falls behind federal goal to reduce phosphorus and nitrogen flowing into its waterways

“By 2025, Illinois aims to reduce nitrogen and nitrate by 15% and phosphorus by 25%, with a goal of greater long-term reductions. Instead, averaged from 2015 to 2019, nitrogen loads increased by 13% compared with a baseline period from 1980 to 1996, and phosphorus loads increased by 35%, according to the latest biennial report on the

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Environmental Organizations Call on the City of Chicago to do Right by Southeast Siders

As disrespectful text messages surface, environmental groups back Southeast Side residents CHICAGO – Yesterday, reporting by the Chicago Tribune uncovered an alarming series of text messages between Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Alderperson Sue Garza regarding the ongoing fight for clean air on Chicago’s Southeast Side. In response, the Illinois Environmental Council and the Sierra Club

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BP Agrees to $500K Penalty, Soot Limits at Indiana Refinery

“Environmentalists express ongoing concerns for air pollution in the Chicagoland area. “Chicago Tonight” discusses the environmental impacts of local refineries and more with Jen Walling, executive director of the Illinois Environmental Council, and Eric Schaeffer, executive director of the Environmental Integrity Project and a former enforcement director with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (Produced by

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