Real Results For Illinois' Environment

Creating A Global Warming Plan for Illinois  

In 2007, our staff was appointed to the governor’s Illinois Climate Change Advisory Group, which has laid out 24 policies that will put Illinois on track to do its part in stopping global warming.

Cutting Mercury Pollution

In 2006, our advocacy persuaded Gov. Blagojevich to commit Illinois to a 90 percent cut in mercury pollution from power plants. Our research had ranked the state sixth in such emissions and had found store-bought fish high in mercury content.

Banning Toxic Chemicals

Our staff successfully fought for a 2006 ban on two kinds of PBDEs, toxic flame retardants used in many products that cause neurological damage to children. PBDEs leach from products and accumulate in Lake Michigan, household dust and our bodies.

Protecting Our National Forests

Environment Illinois continues to oppose Bush administration attempts to open unspoiled areas of our national forests to logging and drilling. A record number of citizens wrote to protect these areas, and we’ve urged our governor and others to preserve them.

Restoring Our Great Lakes

In 2007, we helped pass a regional compact to restrict water withdrawals from the Great Lakes to levels that can be naturally replenished.  Now we’re working in the region and across the country to get other states to adopt the compact.

Stopping BP’s Dumping Scheme

In July, 2007 it was reported that BP planned to increase its dumping of toxic chemicals into Lake Michigan by hundreds of pounds a day. Within 3 weeks, we had gathered 80,000 petition signatures and BP backed down under what the Tribune called a “firestorm” of criticism.

Protecting Illinois’s Natural Areas

In 2007, Environment Illinois helped win full funding for the state’s two on-going open space acquisition programs: the Open Space Land Acquisition and Development fund (OSLAD) and the Natural Areas Acquisition Fund (NAAF).

Defending The Clean Air Act

In 2005, our coalition won a key committee vote to stop the industry-backed “Clear Skies” Initiative, a cleverly packaged attempt to weaken the Clean Air Act.

Strengthening Clean Air Standards

Our 2006 report, “Plagued By Pollution,” exposed the dangers of fine particle, or soot, pollution to our health and the environment. Environment Illinois and our allies are urging federal environmental officials to adopt a tougher standard for soot pollution.

Building a Clean Energy Future

In 2007, Environment Illinois helped pass a bill which will increase the amount of power we get from clean, renewable energy to 10 percent by 2015 and 25 percent by 2025.