2025 Conservation & Open Space Townhall
Is Illinois on the right track? Help shape IEC’s Open Space and Conservation policy priorities as we head into 2026.
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conservation
Keep Your Eyes Open for Invasive Species This Halloween
Ghosts, Ghouls…..and Invasive Species? Learn about some of the spookiest invasive species in Illinois.
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Analysis: Understand the Federal Government Shutdown and Its Impact on Illinois
Congress failed to meet its October 1 deadline to pass a funding bill, triggering a government shutdown that has suspended key environmental programs, furloughed government employees, closed national parks, and stopped non-essential services.
Analysis: Understand the Federal Government Shutdown and Its Impact on Illinois Read More »
2025 Environmental Scorecard
IEC’s state legislative team has published our 2025 Environmental Scorecard evaluating the performance of every Illinois state legislator based on their environmental voting record.
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2025 Chicago City Council Scorecard
IEC’s city programs team has published our 2025 Chicago City Council Environmental Scorecard evaluating the performance of alderpersons based on their environmental voting record.
2025 Chicago City Council Scorecard Read More »
Is artificial intelligence guzzling your drinking water?
Illinois is home to more than 220 data centers, but each one needs a lot of water to operate and cool its systems. Illinois has been a leader in the data center boom, but those centers use up tons of water from sources local communities rely on for drinking water. Advocate groups that work on
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Illinois is making ‘rewilding’ an official conservation strategy
A new law in Illinois formalizes efforts to reintroduce native keystone species like bison and beavers in the state, which advocates say will help other species recover. Next year, “rewilding” will officially be a part of the conservation approach in Illinois. A new state law explicitly includes the concept as part of the Illinois Department
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Analysis: Trump’s Big “Ugly” Bill
H.R. 1 drastically cuts key clean energy tax credits, chipping away at Illinois’ progress toward a clean energy economy and threatening to cut as many as 52,000 manufacturing and energy jobs in the state.
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As Data Centers Proliferate Across Illinois, Communities Grapple with How to Supply the Necessary Water
Computing facilities require lots of water to operate, putting the burden of allocating resources on municipalities. “We are concerned about the planning of the explosion of data centers, and if these far-out suburbs are actually accounting for that,” said Iyana Simba, city government affairs director for the Illinois Environmental Council. “How much of that was
2025 Legislative Report
IEC’s state legislative team has published our 2025 Legislative Report detailing environmental wins and setbacks during this year’s legislative session.
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Wrapping Up the 2025 Illinois Legislative Session
Our team has been on the ground at the Capitol for the last five months, all the way up until the final moments this evening. And you’ve been right there with us.
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How Big Ag thwarted wetlands protections in Illinois and Iowa
Two years ago this week, the Supreme Court’s decision in Sackett v. the Environmental Protection Agency significantly limited the agency’s ability to use the 1972 Clean Water Act to safeguard the nation’s wetlands from pollution and destruction. The decision determined that wetlands — waterlogged habitats that help filter water and sequester carbon — must be
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A Sprint to Accelerate Illinois’ Clean Energy Progress
With two full weeks of the legislative session left before the May 31 deadline, IEC is working overtime to ensure our priorities cross the finish line.
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Illinois Has Your Back, Mother Earth
We can’t count on Washington to do right for the environment. Good thing Illinois’ environmental movement is on top of it.
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Conservation Advocacy in Illinois
We’re midway through the legislative session. Our team has been hard at work this week rounding up roll call votes for many of the bills we’ve been tracking.
Conservation Advocacy in Illinois Read More »
Illinois’ Gardens Fight Climate Change
The Homeowner’s Native Landscaping Act, passed into law in 2024, is a win for Illinois’ biodiversity and climate.
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Tackling Plastic Pollution in Illinois
Our legislative team at IEC has been working hard to ensure our bill sponsors have the tools and public support to advance our agenda this session.
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Northeastern Illinois Conservation Sees Critical Win
In a battle of expectedly “red” versus “blue” politics, conservation funding in northeastern Illinois emerged a winner in the 2024 election.
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Illinois’ 2025 Environmental Legislative Agenda
See Illinois’ 2025 Environmental Legislative Agenda, including all of the most important environmental bills this session!
Illinois’ 2025 Environmental Legislative Agenda Read More »
Analysis: Governor’s FY2026 Budget Address
Gov. JB Pritzker unveiled his 2026 budget proposal. Check it out to see how and which environmental priorities will be funded next year.
Analysis: Governor’s FY2026 Budget Address Read More »