One Watershed, Two Federal Tools
How Great Lakes Restoration and Federal Water Infrastructure Investments Can Strengthen Flood Resilience in Chicago and the South Suburbs
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Clean Water
The overwhelming problem of plastic
From flax that can be used in clothing and cars to robotic skimmers to stricter laws, researchers, activists and volunteers fight an industry intent on making more plastic.
The overwhelming problem of plastic Read More »
Army Corps resumes work at Brandon Road Project as invasive carp encroach on Illinois River
More than a month after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers halted work on the Brandon Road Lock and Dam near Joliet, part of a $1.15 billion project to keep invasive carp out of the Great Lakes, the agency announced last week it would resume construction.
Five Silent Auction Items I’m Especially Excited About This Year
IEC’s Mundra Turtogtokh shares some of the exciting items generously donated for our 2026 Environmental Leadership Dinner silent auction.
Five Silent Auction Items I’m Especially Excited About This Year Read More »
When the Deep Tunnel Runs Out of Room
A flood is a warning too late.
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5 Years of CEJA, 5 Tours With IEC: Bearing Witness to Illinois’ Growing Clean Energy Workforce
Clean energy workers are building the wind, solar, and battery storage projects to help build Illinois’ climate resilience and clean energy future. The training programs equipping those workers with the skills necessary for Illinois’ green economy were made possible by the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, which turns five on September 15, 2026.
Why are more elected officials calling for restrictions on data centers?
On Aug. 11, Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order calling for a pause on data center construction and expansion in the city of Chicago.
Why are more elected officials calling for restrictions on data centers? Read More »
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson signs data center order and pushes City Council for moratorium
Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order Tuesday directing city departments to intensify scrutiny of new data centers in Chicago — a politically potent move that doesn’t unilaterally impose new limits on the fast-growing industry, but could slow its growth.
Illinois Environmental Council gives over half of Illinois legislators a perfect score on environmentally conscious votes this year
Every year, the Illinois Environmental Council (IEC) issues a voting scorecard that grades members of the Illinois General Assembly on how they voted for bills affecting the environment.
WCPT 820 Interview: Dany Robles
Richard Chew is joined by Dany Robles, senior legislative director at the Illinois Environmental Council (IEC); he talks about IEC’s 2026 Legislative Environmental Scorecard.
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As study shows pesticides drifting onto Illinois schools and parks, residents push for better tracking
Commercial pesticides are being detected in public spaces like schools and parks, according to recently released research by Prairie Rivers Network, an Illinois-based nonprofit that advocates for water health. In addition, environmental advocates say Illinois doesn’t have an established method to track agricultural pesticide drift and lacks the regulations to prevent exposure like what occurred in Morton.
Rising Temperatures and Rising Costs: Heat Deaths as a Consequence of Climate Change and The Affordability Crisis
This year’s extraordinary heat made July 2026 Cook County’s deadliest month for heat deaths in a decade. Regardless of where you live, heat waves have become the most lethal weather phenomenon in the world, killing an average of 12,000 people every year. Like many other environmental injustices, heat deaths do not impact everyone equally.
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.
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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.
2026 Environmental Scorecard Read More »
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.
From Warning to Reality: One Year After the “Big Ugly Bill” Read More »
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.
Why Does My Street Flood? Read More »
Fighting for a Clean Community through a Toxic Tour & Fireside Chat
For Metro-East residents, environmental justice is a daily fight against chronic flooding, sewage backups, and toxic air.
Fighting for a Clean Community through a Toxic Tour & Fireside Chat Read More »
As Trump hacks away at environmental protections, Illinois strengthens them
A bill headed to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk will end Illinois’ automatic adoption of weakened federal environmental standards.
As Trump hacks away at environmental protections, Illinois strengthens them Read More »
Why More Illinoisans Are Saying “No” To Data Centers
On June 5, the Illinois legislature shot down House Bill 5513, better known as the POWER Act, a first-of-its-kind, comprehensive bill of necessary regulations on the data centers that have been flooding into the state over the past decade, promising more jobs and increased revenue for local and state governments through property, sales and use taxes.
Why More Illinoisans Are Saying “No” To Data Centers Read More »
Gov. Pritzker slows down data center development
After years of championing data center development, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is pumping the brakes amid concerns over spiking energy bills, water use and pollution.
Gov. Pritzker slows down data center development Read More »