“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 state’s reduction strategy, released this fall.
“This report, and even the previous report from a couple years ago, should be a wake-up call that the status quo of what the state agencies have been doing around nutrient loss is not working,” said Eliot Clay, agriculture and water programs director for the Illinois Environmental Council.”
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