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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
Lawmakers have a busy summer of negotiations ahead of them with pressure from both the governor’s office and their constituents to craft data center regulations that stakeholders and legislators can live with.
Lawmakers, stakeholders are ready for summer of data center negotiations Read More »
IEC’s state legislative team has published our 2026 Legislative Report detailing environmental wins and setbacks during this year’s legislative session.
2026 Legislative Report Read More »
The POWER Act, which would have regulated data centers in Illinois, failed to advance before the legislative deadline, leaving pending projects without new state guardrails. Meanwhile, Gov. J.B. Pritzker has paused data center tax incentives and is pushing for stricter standards on energy use, water consumption and community impact. Joining us to discuss the implications is Jen Walling, executive director of the Illinois Environmental Council.
Gov. Pritzker pauses data center subsidies Read More »
In a surprise move, Gov. JB Pritzker announced Friday that he is putting a pause on all new state tax incentives for data centers and calling on lawmakers to pass new data center reforms during the fall veto session.
Gov. JB Pritzker suspends tax breaks for data centers, urges more discussion Read More »
A bill, newly passed by legislators, will expand the state’s capacity to enforce limits on health-harming emissions in overburdened communities.
In a Years-Long Fight, the Illinois Environmental Justice Movement Gets a Win Read More »
Illinois lawmakers passed one of the nation’s strictest AI safety policies last week, but the state still lags behind Florida and Tennessee when it comes to regulating the buildings that make AI use possible: data centers.
Illinois regulates AI safety but not data centers Read More »
“The ICJC supports continued education (about the POWER Act), but communities around the state have spoken and are demanding action from lawmakers to address the impact the influx of data centers has on our utility bills, water resources, and communities,” said Hannah Flath, a spokesperson for the Illinois Environmental Council, on behalf of the Clean Jobs Coalition. “We’re calling on legislative leaders to convene a negotiating table by the end of June to negotiate and work toward passing the POWER Act.”
POWER Act data center regulation won’t move forward this spring Read More »
Quick look at what did and didn’t pass this session.
Capitol Dispatch 6.1.26: That’s a wrap on the 2026 Spring Legislative Session Read More »
Illinois – Today, the Illinois General Assembly adjourned without taking action on the POWER Act (SB4016/HB5513) – commonsense legislation that would enact nation-leading guardrails on data centers. Instead, state lawmakers opted to continue doling out tax dollars to subsidize Big Tech. “The longer state leadership waits to enact the commonsense protections the POWER Act
Illinois – Over 600 Illinoisans rallied at the Illinois State Capitol today for the Illinois Environmental Council’s POWER Act Lobby Day and met with their legislators to urge passage of the POWER Act (SB4016/HB5513). This nation-leading legislation would enact guardrails to protect our water, energy, ratepayers, and frontline communities from data center impacts. Despite the
Illinois to officially recognize plastic pellets as a pollutant under state law
STATEMENT: Bill to address plastic pellet pollution heads to Gov. Pritzker’s desk Read More »
Stage Now Set for Chicago’s Comprehensive Cumulative Impact Ordinance
IL Legislature Makes Historic Progress on Environmental Justice Policy Read More »
What makes Illinois’ bill distinct is the parks provision within the spray area, as studies point to particle drift and widespread injury across non-target public and private lands.
Illinois Weighs Early Warning System For Pesticide Spraying Near Parks, Schools Read More »
Until data center developers are required to bring their own clean energy and capacity resources and are held accountable for their outsized impact on the grid, the strain on our power grid will be untenable. It’s time to pass the POWER Act (SB4016/HB5513) and ensure the new energy era builds on CEJA, delivering a clean energy future for Illinois communities, consumers, businesses and even data centers.
Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) -Agriculture is yet another area in which Black leaders say they are denied access. “For too long, Black farmers and growers have faced systemic barriers from land loss, discrimination in lending, equitable access to state and federal programs, and the erosion of community welfare that comes with it. These are not just agriculture issues,” said Cate Caldwell (pictured, left), a senior policy manager at the Illinois Environmental Council. “Hear me clearly: they are environmental justice issues, they are economic justice issues, they are civil rights issues.”
Plea for Black farmers Read More »
“There are a number of folks who are really concerned that the influx of data centers will make it harder for us to achieve the clean energy goals we set in [Illinois’s 2021 climate bill] because of how much electricity they require and also how much demand they put on our grid,” said Hannah Flath, director of communications at Illinois Environmental Council. “We’d like to see them be held accountable to the goals that our state has set, and they certainly have enough money to do so.”
Data centers are cropping up all over Illinois. How do they work? Read More »
