illinois

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    New Report Reveals Severe Groundwater Contamination at Illinois Coal Ash Dumps

    New Report Reveals Severe Groundwater Contamination at Illinois Coal Ash Dumps

    A new report written by Environmental Integrity Project, Earthjustice, Prairie Rivers Network and Sierra Club, revealed widespread pollution of the groundwater surrounding 90 percent of reporting Illinois coal ash dumpsites. The report is based on industry data made publicly available for the first time this year because of a requirement in federal coal ash regulations. […]

    Illinois Sues Chicago Trump Tower for Breaking Clean Water Laws

    Illinois Sues Chicago Trump Tower for Breaking Clean Water Laws

    It would appear that the Trump Organization’s business practices aren’t any more environmentally friendly than the policies of the current president, who ran it from 1971 to 2017. Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced Tuesday that she had filed suit against the Trump International Hotel & Tower in Chicago for taking and re-releasing millions of […]

    Pence Family Gas Station Failures Cost Taxpayers More Than $20 Million

    Pence Family Gas Station Failures Cost Taxpayers More Than $20 Million

    A failed gas station empire owned by the family of Vice President Mike Pence has left communities in his home state saddled with millions of dollars in ongoing cleanup costs, the AP reported this weekend. An AP analysis of records relating to the 85 contaminated sites formerly owned by Kiel Bros. Oil Co., which collapsed […]

    Groups Sue Utility Company for Leaking Coal Ash Into National Scenic River

    Groups Sue Utility Company for Leaking Coal Ash Into National Scenic River

    Illinois environmental groups filed a lawsuit Wednesday alleging that a utility company is violating the Clean Water Act by letting coal ash leak into a protected river. The groups allege that Texas-based Dynegy Inc. is tempting a dangerous spill by not dealing with unlined pits of coal ash at the shuttered Vermilion Power Station, which […]

    Fracking Debate Ramps Up Again in Illinois With First Permit Application Under New Rules

    Fracking Debate Ramps Up Again in Illinois With First Permit Application Under New Rules

    By Kari Lydersen Four years ago, the Illinois legislature passed a law to regulate high volume hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, after months of contentious negotiations between oil industry interests, environmental watchdogs and community groups. Leading up to the law’s passage, companies had secured hundreds of leases to potentially frack in Southern Illinois. But then oil […]

    Illinois Legislators to Trump: We Will Not Roll Back Historic Environmental Laws

    Illinois Legislators to Trump: We Will Not Roll Back Historic Environmental Laws

    Illinois state legislators announced Friday a series of legislative proposals that would block any weakened environmental and worker protection standards from taking effect in Illinois, and also respond to President Trump’s decision to pull out of the Paris agreement. House Bill 1438 and Senate Bill 2212, introduced by chief sponsors Rep. Juliana Stratton and Sen. […]

    3 Midwestern States That Refuse to Abandon the Renewable Energy Revolution

    3 Midwestern States That Refuse to Abandon the Renewable Energy Revolution

    By Susan Cosier On the final day of the Illinois State Assembly’s 2016 session, a bill was passed that environmentalists can celebrate—one that significantly increases incentives for renewable energy and energy-efficiency requirements. Though the Democratic-led congress debated the Future Energy Jobs bill for months, legislators and Gov. Bruce Rauner worked together on a bipartisan compromise. […]

    Illinois Breaks Ground With Country’s First Microbead Ban

    Illinois Breaks Ground With Country’s First Microbead Ban

    Other states have discussed it, but Illinois is the first to put action behind words. This week, the state became the nation’s first to enact a ban on microbeads, the small plastic particles found in beauty and cosmetic products. Gov. Pat Quinn’s legislative signing bans the manufacturing or sale of products that contain the beads. Companies add microbeads […]