Tuesday, May 16, 2023

2023 Springfield Lobby Update

By Connie Schmidt

Our lobby efforts this year were rushed into action because the calendar date for their presentation was moved to earlier in February. Nevertheless, our activists’ response across the state roared into action, and by lobby day in mid-April there were over 500 caring residents from a myriad of environmental and justice organizations who convened at the capital. The rally was staged on the steps as the statue of Lincoln stood in the background. The following is a brief description of our top bills presented to the legislators with whom we met.

Polystyrene Phase Out HB2376:  Also known as the “single-use” plastics phase out, this is an effort to ban the foam food ware frequently used by restaurants for carryout, by 2025. It applies to larger businesses. The bill passed the House and is now moving in the Senate.

Clean Car and Truck Standards SB2050 and HB1634:  To increase electric vehicle use, this bill improves the clean car and truck standards and thereby decreases climate and air quality impact. The request to the legislators included asking them to sign on to a letter to the Governor asking him to use his office to increase standards as appropriate. These two bills are in the early stages of advocacy and may not move forward until next year; however, there is hope for the letter to the governor reaping some support.

The Environmental Justice Act HB2520:  The bill was presented last year, but it didn’t get over the finish line, so we are back at it again. The same bill is in both the House and the Senate. It works to require that local hearing and impact studies are done at the site of developments when they are in an Environmental Justice community. Some legislators voice concern over the definition of EJ community out of concern for fairness.

Coal Ash or Protecting of Lake Michigan Shores SB1578 and HB1608:  Again, a bill from a previous era.  SB9 was passed prior to Covid, and it declared that “polluters should pay” for their clean-up when plants are shuttered.  Well, that didn’t happen at the Zion plant near Waukegan, so these efforts work to put some teeth into the earlier law. This effort is precarious right now, in that it has been punted from House to Senate and back. We are dependent on leaders speaking up to bring this bill forward to fruition.

Carbon Dioxide Transport and Storage Protections Act HB3119:  This may end up being our “star of the year” if we are able to get it passed. I have noticed articles in a variety of newspapers on this effort.  Currently CO2 pipelines are not regulated by our state government, and the wild west of rush to develop infrastructure for carbon sequestration companies is underway. This bill sets safety standards for the industry, communities, and landowners. Our local leaders seem in favor of this bill, but convincing legislators from downstate may be a bigger lift. There is a competing industry bill that we hope will fail.

Working on political efforts through the River Prairie Group and the Illinois Chapter is some of the most valuable volunteer time you can offer. If you are interested, please contact Connie Schmidt to discuss details of our work. Cschmidt527@gmail.com

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