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Illinois law is the first in the Great Lakes region to designate industrial plastic pellets as pollution
Illinois is requiring polluters to begin reporting spills of industrial plastic pellets known as nurdles, a growing source of contamination in the Great Lakes and Mississippi River watersheds.
How to regulate data centers in Illinois at the center of latest proposal
Even as a political backlash against data centers mushrooms across the U.S., a broad consensus on how to regulate them is emerging in Springfield, according to key corporate, labor and environmental lobbyists.
New Report: State Legislators Scored on Environmental Voting Record
Illinois Environmental Council Releases Annual Scorecard (SPRINGFIELD, IL)—The Illinois Environmental Council (IEC) released its 2026 Legislative Environmental Scorecard today. The scorecard, which is released annually,
2026 Environmental Scorecard
IEC’s state legislative team has published our 2026 Environmental Scorecard evaluating the performance of every Illinois state legislator based on their environmental voting record.
From Warning to Reality: One Year After the “Big Ugly Bill”
One year ago, the Illinois Environmental Council warned that H.R.1, dubbed the “Big Ugly Bill,” would impact Illinois’ clean energy economy, weaken environmental protections, and make it harder for families and communities to thrive. One year later, we revisited those projections by reviewing updated economic analyses, federal implementation, and conversations with our partners across Illinois to understand what has changed and what challenges remain.
Why Does My Street Flood?
Every spring and summer, Chicago basements flood like clockwork, but this isn’t just bad luck with the weather. It is the direct collision of a 1930s sewer network, a rapidly shifting climate, and decades of systemic urban disinvestment. Chicago’s Deep Tunnel project can’t save us alone, we need to embrace water policy and nature-based climate resilience.
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See how your state legislators voted on bills affecting the environment.
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RESEARCH & REPORTS
Illinois law is the first in the Great Lakes region to designate industrial plastic pellets as pollution
Illinois is requiring polluters to begin reporting spills of industrial plastic pellets known as nurdles, a growing source of contamination in the Great Lakes and Mississippi River watersheds.
How to regulate data centers in Illinois at the center of latest proposal
Even as a political backlash against data centers mushrooms across the U.S., a broad consensus on how to regulate them is emerging in Springfield, according to key corporate, labor and environmental lobbyists.
New Report: State Legislators Scored on Environmental Voting Record
Illinois Environmental Council Releases Annual Scorecard (SPRINGFIELD, IL)—The Illinois Environmental Council (IEC) released its 2026 Legislative Environmental Scorecard today. The scorecard, which is released annually,
2026 Environmental Scorecard
IEC’s state legislative team has published our 2026 Environmental Scorecard evaluating the performance of every Illinois state legislator based on their environmental voting record.
From Warning to Reality: One Year After the “Big Ugly Bill”
One year ago, the Illinois Environmental Council warned that H.R.1, dubbed the “Big Ugly Bill,” would impact Illinois’ clean energy economy, weaken environmental protections, and make it harder for families and communities to thrive. One year later, we revisited those projections by reviewing updated economic analyses, federal implementation, and conversations with our partners across Illinois to understand what has changed and what challenges remain.
Why Does My Street Flood?
Every spring and summer, Chicago basements flood like clockwork, but this isn’t just bad luck with the weather. It is the direct collision of a 1930s sewer network, a rapidly shifting climate, and decades of systemic urban disinvestment. Chicago’s Deep Tunnel project can’t save us alone, we need to embrace water policy and nature-based climate resilience.