2021 IEC Policy Platform
We convened seven town halls open to the public, all of our 100+ affiliate organizations, our individual members and our staff to deliberate and develop the policy solutions endorsed by our Illinois environmental movement.
Clean Water
New House Speaker, New 2021 Legislative Session Begins
As we look ahead to the spring session, we will be working with the new General Assembly on key environmental priorities, while protecting environmental programs from budget cuts against a challenging fiscal environment.
In Solidarity with the Legislative Black Caucus Agenda
The Illinois Environmental Council stands in strong support of the Black Caucus in these efforts, and encourages the General Assembly to take up this legislative agenda in the coming lame duck session.
Lakeshore Erosion
https://youtu.be/PH_nsZJ0HT4 As part of Chicago Water Week, please join IEC and our panel of experts to discuss shoreline erosion in the Great Lakes. Recently, Great Lake water levels have been historically high, threatening beaches, homes, businesses and infrastructure along the shores. Solutions like the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative have supported shoreline restoration jetports but there are also international and …
2020 Cover Crops Premium Discount Program
Applications for the “Fall Covers for Spring Savings Program” will be available on the IDOA website in December 2020.
Clean Water Town Hall
Thursday, July 16 | Noon | Register via Zoom using the form below Topics covered will include drinking water, Great Lakes, water pollution, urban flooding, floodplains, water affordability, water quantity, groundwater, surface water protection, green infrastructure, and other topics related to keeping our water supplies clean.
Life Without Running Water During COVID-19
We haven’t done right by the communities most impacted—Black, brown and low income communities—until we’ve guaranteed this vital resource regardless of zipcode, race or ability to pay.
Waters of the United States Protections and Rollbacks
https://youtu.be/IEXySaRZUCw In the 30th installment of our Lunch and Learn Series, IEC is joined by Molly Kordas of Openlands to discuss the Water of the United States Protections and rollbacks by the Trump Administration. Resources: Openlands
Urban Stormwater
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S774fmdYa3I In the 24th installment of IEC’s Lunch and Learn Series, IEC is joined by Marcella Bondie Keenan of the Center for Neighborhood Technology and Olga Bautista of Alliance for the Great Lakes to discuss urban stormwater. Find links and resources from the session below: Center for Neighborhood Technology Alliance for the Great Lakes
H2NOW Chicago: Microbial Water Quality Monitoring
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I58fnQPlI_g In the 21st installment of the IEC Lunch and Learn Series, IEC is joined by Alaina Harkness, Svetlana Taylor and George Brigandi from Current to discuss water quality and monitoring in Chicago. Find links and resources from the session below: Current website
Coal Ash and Groundwater Pollution
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IXd6LjIRRM In the 16th edition of the IEC Lunch & Learn Series, attorney Faith Bugel joins us to discuss coal ash and how it pollutes groundwater.
Lead in Drinking Water
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qYgjYdCPhA In the sixth installment of IEC’s Lunch & Learn Series, Justin Williams from the Metropolitan Planning Council, Caroline Pakenham from Elevate Energy, and IEC’s own Iyana Simba discuss lead in drinking water in Illinois. Below, you can find resources and links from the session: App to see if your home has lead pipes Illinois …
Lawmakers, Advocates Introduce ‘Plastic-free Water for Illinois Platform’
Lawmakers, environmental groups, and consumer advocates bring the fight for plastic-free water to the General Assembly SPRINGFIELD, IL – Today, State Rep. Ann Williams, State Sen. Melinda Bush and the Illinois Environmental Council announced the introduction of a comprehensive package of legislation tackling the pervasive problem of plastic pollution from single-use plastics in Illinois waterways …
Lawmakers, Advocates Introduce ‘Plastic-free Water for Illinois Platform’ Read More »
Illinois’ 2020 Enviro Legislative Agenda
During this session, IEC focused on demonstrating public support for the Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA) and addressing ethylene oxide pollution.
Broad Coalition Calls for Statewide Drug Take-back Program
Illinois legislators and advocates introduce The Illinois Drug Take-back Act CHICAGO – Today, state lawmakers, environmental and public health groups, along with business, public safety and local government voices, called for a statewide pharmaceutical drug take-back program funded by pharmaceutical companies. The coalition called the amount of unused drugs in Illinois a public safety, public …
Broad Coalition Calls for Statewide Drug Take-back Program Read More »
Advocates Introduce Chicago City Ordinance to Combat Plastic Pollution
Aldermen, environmental groups, and consumer advocates bring the fight for plastic-free water to the Chicago City Council CHICAGO –Today, Alderman Scott Waguespack (32nd Ward) announced the introduction of comprehensive legislation tackling the pervasive problem of plastic pollution in Chicago waterways and the Great Lakes. Alderman Waguespack was joined by organizations in support of the ordinance …
Advocates Introduce Chicago City Ordinance to Combat Plastic Pollution Read More »
Cover Crops and the 200 Year Nutrient Pollution Gap
Nutrient pollution from excess fertilizer carried downstream by water and erosion is poisoning our drinking water, feeding toxic algal blooms and contributing to a massive deadzone in the Gulf of Mexico.
Lead Poisoning Awareness Week
By Iyana Simba | IEC Clean Water Advocate When it came to light in 2014 that residents of Flint, Michigan were exposed to elevated lead levels in their drinking water, the issue dominated headlines. Since then, cities like Newark, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, and Chicago have also found elevated lead levels in schools, childcare …
Milestone Bill to Clean Up Coal Ash Pollution in Illinois Becomes Law
The Coal Ash Pollution Prevention Act is a critical step in fixing Illinois’ coal ash problem SPRINGFIELD, IL—Today, bipartisan legislation to protect Illinois’ citizens and the environment from the effects of toxic coal ash became law. The Coal Ash Pollution Prevention Act will result in stronger rules for coal ash cleanup and fund cleanup programs through permit …
Milestone Bill to Clean Up Coal Ash Pollution in Illinois Becomes Law Read More »
2019 IEC Legislative Report
IEC is pleased to release our 2019 Legislative Report. We are proud to report that we advanced a broad and ambitious agenda, defeated potentially damaging legislation and secured important appropriations in the state budget.
Illinois House and Senate Pass Landmark Legislation to Clean up Coal Ash
Bill addresses coal ash impoundments plaguing the state for decades Springfield, IL — Yesterday, the Illinois Legislature passed SB9, The Coal Ash Pollution Prevention Act, which now heads to the Governor’s desk. The groundbreaking bill addresses the many waste pits filled with coal ash, the toxic byproduct of burning coal, located all over the state. Illinois is …
Illinois House and Senate Pass Landmark Legislation to Clean up Coal Ash Read More »
General Assembly Sends Water Jobs Infrastructure Bill to Governor’s Desk
Clean Water Jobs for All Legislation Lays Groundwork for Thousands of New Jobs SPRINGFIELD, IL — Today, the Illinois State House of Representatives voted to approve Clean Water Jobs for All legislation (SB 2146/HB 3349), which creates the Clean Water Workforce Pipeline Program. The program provides training and resources for careers in water infrastructure and …
General Assembly Sends Water Jobs Infrastructure Bill to Governor’s Desk Read More »
Cannabis Legalization Bill Passes with Nation-leading Environmental Protections
Illinois Poised to Enact the ‘Greenest’ Cannabis Legislation in U.S. SPRINGFIELD, IL — Today, the Illinois State House of Representatives voted to pass HB1438, a bill legalizing the regulated, recreational use of cannabis that now includes nation-leading environmental and public health protections. The Illinois Environmental Council (IEC) partnered with the University of Chicago’s Abrams Environmental …
Cannabis Legalization Bill Passes with Nation-leading Environmental Protections Read More »
Governor Pritzker’s First 100 Days
The Governor of Illinois has significant influence over environmental programs and policy, as well as if, and how, the state leads on these issues. This being the case, IEC welcomed the election of Governor Pritzker, whose campaign promised 100% renewable energy, clean air protections and recognized the importance of our water resources. Now that we …
Bill Prohibiting Illinois From Regulating Carbon Pollution Repealed
State can now go beyond the federal government to take action on climate change SPRINGFIELD — On Thursday, March 28th, the Illinois State House of Representatives voted to repeal the Kyoto Protocol Act of 1998, a law prohibiting the state from creating restrictions for the “purpose of addressing the adverse effects of climate change which in …
Bill Prohibiting Illinois From Regulating Carbon Pollution Repealed Read More »
State Legislators, Stakeholders Announce Major Milestone for “Clean Water Jobs for All” Legislation
SPRINGFIELD — Today, State Sen. Ram Villivalam and State Rep. Justin Slaughter were joined by environmental and labor leaders from across Illinois to announce support for their Clean Water Jobs for All legislation (SB 2146/HB 3349). Sen. Ram Villivalam, sponsor of SB 2146, said, “With the Clean Water Jobs for All legislation, we aren’t just …
The Critical Need for Water Infrastructure Funding
It is past time for dedicated capital funding for water infrastructure to ensure every Illinoisan has access to clean, affordable water.
SB 1226 Endangers Safe Drinking Water & Public Health
Rich Miller | Capitol Fax Illinois continues to reel from the fatal outbreak of legionella at the Quincy Veterans’ Home. School and park districts are scrambling to address troubling levels of lead in water lines and drinking fountains. Now the House is considering a radical measure that would eliminate longstanding protections that ensure the proper …
SB 1226 Endangers Safe Drinking Water & Public Health Read More »
Committee Deadline Week
Friday, April 13th is the final deadline for bills to get out of committee in both chambers. It was a mixed week in Springfield for IEC: while many of the proposals we support advanced towards passage, others very bad proposals moved forward despite our strong opposition. Bills that do not get out of committee by …
What will IEC be up to in 2018?
The 2018 state legislative session began February, 30th 2018. With the Primary Election scheduled for March 20, session days are light between now and March. With continued threats to the environment coming from the federal level, we will be working harder than ever to defend existing protections and push environmental justice priorities in our 2018 …
Staff Feature: Lindsay Keeney
By Lindsay KeeneyDownstate Outreach Director, Illinois Environmental Council You can’t protect something you don’t love. Nurtured in central Illinois creek beds that had a tendency to banish a nice pair pair of school clothes straight to the dirty clothes pile, I love water. Geography gifted me the chance play, fish and study water from an …
Legislator Feature: State Representative Carol Ammons
IEC is excited to release our first “Legislator Feature” on our blog! Through this series, we hope to share with our supporters how legislators think about environmental issues, and what areas they are specifically interested in. For this entry, we are pleased to interview State Representative Carol Ammons. Representative Carol Ammons is serving her second …
Legislator Feature: State Representative Carol Ammons Read More »
Preventing Lead in Drinking Water Passes!
The Illinois General Assembly approved SB550, or the Preventing Lead in Drinking Water bill. Because there is no safe level of lead in drinking water, IEC has worked hard over the past year to pass legislation that would require basic steps to protect children from lead poisoning. This bill is now on the way to …
The High Cost of Cheap Meat
As an organization that has been working to solve the pollution crisis caused by concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) in Illinois for years, we applaud the Chicago Tribune’s recent in-depth investigative report on large hog confinements. Few could read this piece without gasping at the stories of environmental pollution, animal abuse, and destruction of rural …
IEC EnviroNews (Summer 2015)
Find the full PDF online here or scroll down to read 40th Anniversary Dinner 2015 Legislative Report Illinois Clean Jobs Bill update Air permit bill Summary of recycling and waste bills Bobcat hunting bill passes
IEC Newsletter Vol. 5 No. 4
Find the full PDF online here or scroll down to read. Update on hazardous waste bills Report of potential threat to Rock Island Trail Statehouse report Clean water plans await approval List of upcoming events List of legislature votes