2024 Illinois Lobby Issues for Sierra Club Volunteers

By Linda Sullivan and Connie Schmidt

DuPage legislators were impressive in the spring legislative session in the number of environmental bills important to the Sierra Club IL Chapter that they cosponsored or voted for.

At the time of this writing, the season is not over, and some of our most important bills are still pending. Below is a rundown of what we have passed, what we still hope to pass, and the legislators that helped us. If you see that your state representative or state senator cosponsored one of our bills, you can help the cause by contacting them and thanking them. To get their contact information check here. You will have to search for Senate members or House members. You can also search the bills mentioned below from this site.

These good results from our legislators are in part a result of the work of RPG’s Lobby Team.  Constituents who made in-district lobby visits to legislators are Nikhil Angelo, Jeff Gahris, Ed Max, Connie Schmidt, Linda Sullivan, and Robert Wagner. A whole bunch more RPG members are going to Springfield on Lobby Day. Our Lobby Team and Political Committee give Sierra Club power to influence legislators to make good environmental laws!

Wetlands Protection Act (SB0771 HB5386)

DuPage cosponsoring in Senate: Laura Ellman (Chief Sponsor), Rachel Ventura, Karina Villa

DuPage cosponsors in House: Terra Costa Howard, Janet Yang Rohr, Anne Stava Murray, Jen Ladisch Douglass, Diane Blair Sherlock, Stephanie Kifowit, Maura Hirschauer

Summary: This bill creates the Wetlands and Small Streams Protection Act to restore protections for wetlands and small streams that were formerly protected from pollution and destruction by the Clean Water Act. Makes provisions concerning exemptions; wetlands delineation, classification, notification, permits, and veto; general permits; appeal of final decisions made by the Department of Natural Resources and judicial review; investigation and enforcement; and county authority. Creates the Wetlands and Small Streams Advisory Committee and establishes duties and rules for the Committee. Creates the Wetlands and Small Streams Protection Fund.

For more details see the Sierra Club IL Chapter Fact Sheet here.

Moratorium on CO2 Pipelines (SB3441 HB4835)

DuPage Senate sponsors - none

DuPage House Sponsors: Rep. Diane Blair-Sherlock (chief sponsor), Janet Yang Rohr 

Summary: This bill creates the Safety Moratorium on Carbon Dioxide Pipelines Act. It establishes a temporary statewide moratorium on construction of carbon dioxide pipelines until certain studies at the Federal and State levels are conducted. Details requirements for the State study regarding the safety of carbon dioxide pipelines, which include receiving input from first responders, analyzing pipeline ruptures or leaks in a variety of settings, and recommending setbacks and funding based on that analysis.

For more details see the Sierra Club IL Chapter Fact Sheet here.

Buy Clean – Global warming Ceiling (HR3141)

DuPage House Cosponsors: Rep. Diane Blair-Sherlock (chief cosponsor), Jenn Ladisch Douglass, Terra Costa Howard, and Janet Yang Rohr

DuPage Senate Sponsor:  Laura Ellman (Chief Sponsor)

Summary: Speed industrial decarbonization by directing the Illinois Central Management Services to establish a maximum global warming potential for state purchases of vehicles, appliances and building materials for state-funded projects.

This bill recently passed the House and is now in the Senate.

You can find Sierra Club’s Fact Sheet on this bill here.

Transit to Trails HB5277 (Passed through house successfully, now in the Senate with Villivalam as chief sponsor.)

 

Summary: The bill establishes a Transit to Trails Grant Program that will allow entities such as public transit to apply for projects that facilitate travel by public transit to public outdoor recreation sites for outdoor activities that include but are not limited to hiking, fishing, boating, hunting, and wildlife viewing.

For more details see the Sierra Club IL Chapter Fact Sheet here.

The next two bills involve Clean Heat and Building Decarbonization as well as Clean and Equitable Transportation. At the time of this writing, both have just been introduced with support from Governor Pritzker. Members of the River Prairie Group will be briefed on these bills and go to Springfield to lobby local leaders for support. Read more about them here.