SPRINGFIELD, IL — “In another step backward, the United States Supreme Court has gutted the federal government’s ability to protect our communities from the rising costs and mounting dangers of air pollution and climate change.
“In a departure from 15 years of precedent outlining the authority of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate climate pollution, the Court has restricted the EPA’s authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, jeopardizing our communities and planet in favor of big polluters, who are price-gouging consumers already under financial stress, all while reporting record profits.
“This ruling makes it imperative for Illinois to quickly and completely implement the landmark Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), which is already cutting costs for millions of Illinois consumers and small businesses, creating thousands of equitable, good-paying clean energy jobs, and replacing dirty, expensive coal and gas with clean, cheap renewable energy.
“The Illinois Environmental Council is hard at work interfacing with governmental agencies, renewable energy job creators and community leaders across Illinois to ensure that we’re doing our part to harness the historic, equity-centered benefits of CEJA in pursuit of a prosperous and healthy future for all Illinoisans.”
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About the Illinois Environmental Council
Since 1975, the Illinois Environmental Council (IEC) has worked to safeguard Illinois—its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends by building power for people and the environment. Representing over 100 environmental organizations operating in Illinois, IEC carries out its mission to advance public policies that create healthy environments across Illinois through education, advocacy and movement building. For more, visit ilenviro.org.