Illinois climate activists say Trump’s win is a blow to climate action

Jen Walling with the Illinois Environmental Council (IEC) said Trump’s win is a blow to climate action.

“I definitely think that a national administration that doesn’t support what we’re doing is going to make our work harder.”

She says IEC will have to prioritize issues most at risk, one of those being clean water.

“There are a couple of really important federal rules, one change to lead and copper rule, and another, changes to PFAs that I think we will see a large dismantling of the Clean Water Act. So I think that we’re going to see the work that we do on clean water and safe drinking water increase quite a bit because of the national administration.”

However, Walling said activists will still make progress, even if at a slower pace.

“I am concerned, but I think that the pathways to climate solution, we are already going down that pathway, and I don’t think we’re going to fully divert from it.”

In a statement, Washington, D.C. based clean energy group, American Clean Power said it looks forward to working with Trump to “unleash American-made energy, deliver reliable power to the grid, grow the economy, and enhance our national security.”

Read the full story here.

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