Illinois Environmental Council Releases Annual Scorecard
(SPRINGFIELD, IL) – The Illinois Environmental Council (IEC) released its 2023 Legislative Environmental Scorecard today. The scorecard, which is released annually, assigns a percentage score to legislators based on how they voted on bills affecting the environment. This year, 17 state representatives and 10 state senators received 100% scores based on their record on 28 bills during 2023 legislative business.
“With fewer legislators earning top marks than in recent years, this year’s scorecard highlights the true environmental champions in our General Assembly,” said Jen Walling, executive director of IEC. “When so many of their peers failed to recognize the stakes during those final hours of the legislative session, and when some leaned on industry’s misleading talking points, these legislators stood with their constituents and our environment.”
The 2023 Legislative Environmental Scorecard includes 28 legislative measures. Specific priorities from this year’s Scorecard include:
- Healthy Soils and Waters Initiative – SB 1701, IEC supported (Sen. Villivalam / Rep. Kelly)
- With the goal of improving the health of Illinois’ soils and the function of our watersheds, this legislation invests $18 million into the Partners for Conservation Fund for in-field conservation practices, soil assessment, and support for Soil and Water Conservation Districts.
- Single-use Plastics Reduction – SB 58, IEC supported (Sen. Fine / Rep. Gong-Gershowitz)
- A critical step in reducing demand for single-use plastics, which pollute our waterways, pile up in our landfills and deposit PFAs and microplastics into our environment, SB 58 bans styrofoam from purchase by state agencies and public universities.
- Nuclear Moratorium Lift – SB76, IEC opposed (Sen. Rezin / Rep. Yednock)
- Without adequate state protections and siting regulations in place, lifting the decades-long moratorium on the development of new nuclear facilities would leave Illinoisans vulnerable to dangerous, costly development. Gov. JB Pritzker has vetoed this legislation
- Ameren’s Monopoly on Clean Energy Transmission – HB 3445, IEC opposed (Rep. Walsh / Sen. Stadelman)
- This bill, since amendatorily vetoed by Gov. JB Pritzker, allowed Ameren, a privately-owned utility company downstate, the right of first refusal for transmission projects in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) territory, effectively eliminating the competitive project bid process. These processes increase project costs, which ratepayers would ultimately pay.
- I-55 Expansion – HJR 23, IEC opposed (Rep. Stava-Murray / Sen. Cunningham)
- This resolution initiates the first stages of a proposed project to increase the number of lanes on I-55 in the Chicago region, much of which lies immediately adjacent to environmental justice communities. This will negatively impact air quality in areas already seeing the highest rates of air pollution in Illinois.
“We score legislators on the environmental legacy of their voting record every year, giving their constituents a powerful accountability tool when evaluating the performance of their legislators,” Walling added. “Every vote that impacts our environment counts, and it’s important that legislators know we, and more importantly, their constituents, are watching.”
###
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.