By Linda Sullivan
This year, Illinois Sierra Club Lobby Team members brushed aside discouragement at the national situation and charged ahead, meeting with their state legislators as they have every year, working to pass environmental laws through the General Assembly.
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Photo by Illinois Chapter Sierra Club |
In Illinois we
are moving ahead on the environment!
Many thanks to
the River Prairie Group Lobby Team members who met in-district with their
legislators on the bills listed below. And a huge thank you to the legislators
who stuck their necks out to cosponsor our bills!
The following
bills were chosen by the Illinois Sierra Club Conservation Committee as most
important to lobby on. Our lobbyists asked the legislators to cosponsor the
bills, meaning that their names would show on the General Assembly website as
sponsors (and take flak from industry lobbyists). We have listed those who
cosponsored. It should be noted that just because a legislator chose not to
cosponsor, that does not mean they will or have voted against the bills.
At the time we
went to press, this is where things stand:
Disposable
Food Service Containers Act (polystyrene ban), SB 1531 (Fine)
This bill seeks
to limit the amount of PFAS also known as “forever chemicals” consumed by
Illinoisians through disposable Styrofoam and plastic. Prohibits
sale/distribution in Illinois of disposable food service containers composed in
whole or in part of polystyrene foam beginning January 1, 2030.
Update: This
bill passed the Illinois Senate, but is still waiting for a vote in the House.
Legislators in
the River Prairie Group area cosponsors:
Illinois
Senate: Laura Ellman, Karina Villa, Rachel Ventura
Illinois
House: Diane Blair Sherlock, Terra Costa Howard, Anne Stava Murray,
Janet Yang Rohr, Martha Deuter
Mahomet
Aquifer Protection, SB 1723 (Faraci) and HB 3614 (Ammons)
The Mahomet
Aquifer is designated a sole source aquifer, meaning the contamination of the
aquifer would create a significant hazard to public health, and there are no
available alternative sources of drinking water to serve the population that
relies on the aquifer. Ban carbon sequestration through and under the Mahomet
Aquifer and its recharge areas and protect drinking water for Central Illinois.
Update: This
bill passed both Houses and is expected to be signed by the Governor!
Hooray!
Legislators in
RPG area who cosponsored:
Illinois
Senate: Karina Villa, Rachel Ventura, Suzy Glowiak Hilton
Illinois
House: Diane Blair Sherlock, Anne Stava Murray, Dagmar Avilar, Maura
Hirschauer, Janet Yang Rohr, Martha Deuter, Stephanie Kifowit
Clean and
Reliable Grid Act (CRGA), HB 3779 (A. Williams) and SB 2473 (Cunningham)
Seeks to
strengthen energy efficiency including increasing electric and gas utilities’
minimum spending on low-income efficiency programs, prioritizes clean energy
resources, promotes transmission improvements to strengthen the power grid, and
supports transparent energy planning and modeling to strengthen our energy
policymaking, support the implementation of CEJA, and right-size our clean
energy procurement targets to meet our energy needs.
Update: Changes
every day! At this time, the bill is in committee.
RPG legislators
who cosponsored:
Illinois
House: Anne Stava Murray, Terra Costa Howard
Clean and
Healthy Buildings Act, SB2269 (Villanueva) and HB3525 (A. Williams)
Reducing
buildings emissions is important for and beneficial to our state’s climate, as
well as the individual health and finances of every Illinoisan. The Clean and
Healthy Buildings Act modernizes new buildings first and then existing ones to
run on clean electricity, replacing gas burners and stoves with safer, more
efficient heat pumps and electric appliances.
Update: This bill is not expected to move until at
least next year.
RPG area
legislators who cosponsored:
Senate: Rachel
Ventura
House: Anne
Stava Murray, Terra Costa Howard
Transportation
Choices Act (TCA), SB 1680 (Aquino)/HB2629 (Canty)
Transportation is now the largest source of carbon emissions, and the only one that is increasing. As part of comprehensive legislation to fund and reform mass transit, we must also take steps to reduce carbon emissions over time from this large source of pollution. The Transportation Choices Act would set gradual emissions reduction targets for transportation spending, to ensure we are achieving cleaner air and providing more balanced funding to all modes of travel, including transit, bicycle facilities, and safe pedestrian routes.
Update: In
committee
RPG area
cosponsors:
Senate: Rachel
Ventura
House: Anne
Stava Murray
You can get the
final outcome of these bills and exact votes at https://ilga.gov/