Environmental Law & Policy Center

Illinois lawmakers urged to ‘step up’ and ‘fight like hell’ as EPA moves to cut wetlands protections New U.S. EPA rule would strip protections from 72% of the state’s remaining wetlands, which play a crucial role in mitigating flooding and filtering drinking water.

The EPA just moved to cut federal protections for wetlands, leaving more than 700,000 acres in Illinois vulnerable. With 90% of Illinois’ original wetlands already gone, state action has never been more urgent to protect clean water and defend communities from flooding.

https://act.elpc.org/4phzWiK

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Case Study for Progress: How to Turn a Toxic Waste Dump into a Park. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar. Join the Environmental Law & Policy Center, Alliance of the Southeast, and Friends of the Parks for a behind-the-scenes look at how community power, legal strategy, and sustained advocacy stopped a pr...

A long-standing toxic waste dump on Chicago’s Southeast Side is finally beginning its transition into a public park.

Want to hear how community and legal advocacy made this possible? Join our ELPC Thinks conversation.

🗓️ Nov 20th, 2025 at 12:00 PM CT
Register: https://act.elpc.org/43BTZjM

After years of advocacy, the toxic waste dump adjacent to Calumet Park is becoming new lakefront parkland—a major win for environmental justice and the Southeast Side.

Howard A. Learner: Now, let’s focus on making Chicago’s regional transit system work better Now that Illinois has passed a transit bill, the focus must shift to how to make our transit system work better and more efficiently.

Illinois’ new transit law set the stage for real progress. Now it’s time to deliver.

Howard Learner’s Chicago Tribune op-ed outlines how to modernize, coordinate, and strengthen Chicagoland’s transit system for riders today and tomorrow.

https://act.elpc.org/47Q00uz

ELPC Thinks: The U.S. Supreme Court & the Environment | ELPC Join us on November 5, 2025 - 11am CT

Join @elizabethwydra.bsky.social and @elpcenter.bsky.social tomorrow at 12:00 ET for a webinar on environmental issues at #SCOTUS! elpc.org/events/elpc-...

After long legal battle, Michigan toughens poop patrol at factory farms - Bridge Michigan State regulators first announced stricter pollution regulations for industrial-scale livestock farms back in 2020. But years of legal challenges from farming interests kept them from enforcing them un...

Michigan’s new CAFO rules are a hard-won step toward cleaner water and stronger protections for nearby communities. Now comes the work of making sure they’re enforced.

https://act.elpc.org/3LlaKte

Illinois Passes Transit Funding & Reform Bill | ELPC Statement by Deputy Director Kevin Brubaker

Transit is essential — and Illinois just proved it. The NITA Act delivers $1.5B in new funding and reforms that prevent a transit crisis and build a stronger future for riders and the environment.

https://act.elpc.org/43D7Whe

As data center boom hits Michigan, utilities hedge against a bust - Bridge Michigan As utilities field dozens of inquiries from companies looking to build energy-hungry data centers in Michigan, they’re grappling with a thorny question: Who’ll cover the electricity bill if the boom g...

Michigan’s data center boom could reshape the state’s energy future.

Utilities want long-term deals with tech giants, but advocates warn of higher costs and climate setbacks if safeguards aren’t in place.

https://act.elpc.org/47zUE6v

No One Voted for Polluted Water: Don’t Delay Power Plant Effluent Limits | ELPC EPA’s proposal would give a green light to power plants to keep dumping toxic pollutants into our waterways.

No one voted for polluted water. EPA’s proposal to delay toxic wastewater limits for coal plants would mean more arsenic, mercury & lead in our rivers, lakes, and drinking water.

https://act.elpc.org/3L3C2nS

Environmental groups urge EPA to restore nitrate impairment designation on Iowa river segments • Iowa Capital Dispatch Environmental groups penned a letter to the EPA urging the federal agency to maintain that seven river segments are impaired.

Nitrate pollution is still contaminating Iowa’s rivers — but EPA removed these waters from the “impaired” list.

ELPC and partners are calling on EPA to restore protections and hold polluters accountable. Clean water and public health depend on it.

https://act.elpc.org/3KYOm8S

Yesterday’s #ClimateDayAtTheCapitol highlighted a clear message for Illinois lawmakers: fix and fund public transit to keep our communities connected, reduce pollution, and move toward a clean energy future. #TransitIsEssential #ClimateAction

Clean Jobs Midwest Clean energy jobs are powering the midwest.

Over 774,000 Midwesterners now work in clean energy. Jobs in the sector grew nearly 2% in 2024, outpacing overall regional economic growth.

Read more in the new #CleanJobsMidwest report: www.CleanJobsMidwest.com

Lena smiles in a selfie with the Illinois capitol building in the background

Lena smiles with Ben from Abundant Housing and Laura from Access Living as they disembark from the Amtrak train in Springfield

Governor Pritzker’s mansion in Springfield has a plethora of pumpkins out front

Hey Springfield! Let’s talk #transit

#transitisessential #climateaction @abundanthousingil.bsky.social @accessliving.bsky.social @elpcenter.bsky.social

Illinois transit is in crisis. Without funding and reform, CTA, Metra, and Pace face major cuts next year. Nearly half of "L" trains and 60% of bus routes could disappear. Cuts would strand riders and worsen pollution.

Tell lawmakers to fix and fund transit: https://act.elpc.org/iltransit

Environmental Groups Challenge EPA De-Listing of Nitrate Impairments in Iowa | Environmental Law & Policy Center Des Moines – The Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC), Iowa Environmental Council (IEC), and Food & Water Watch sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) challenging the agency's action to rescind its partial disapproval of Iowa's 2...

EPA quietly reversed course on Iowa’s nitrate pollution problem, rolling back protections despite years of evidence showing serious contamination. ELPC is challenging this decision and calling for transparency and accountability to protect clean water.

🔗 https://act.elpc.org/3JbZv5z

ELPC Thinks: Clean Energy and the Data Center Dilemma Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

The Midwest’s data center boom is testing our clean energy goals. Can we meet growing electricity demand while cutting pollution and costs?

Watch ELPC experts break it down: http://act.elpc.org/3KKxJ0v

Great Lakes Beach Closures in Summer 2024 and 2025: A Regional Comparison ELPC looked back over this year’s data to examine patterns in beach access and pollution along the Great Lakes shorelines.

Summer may be over, but water quality challenges across the Great Lakes continue.

ELPC’s new analysis shows that while some states improved in 2025, many beaches still faced frequent closures and advisories — especially in Ohio.

https://act.elpc.org/48nhPTG

ELPC Thinks: Clean Energy & the Data Center Dilemma | ELPC Data centers have arrived in the Midwest. Will the AI boom derail – or drive – our clean energy goals? Join this webinar to find out.

Data centers are booming in the Midwest—driving up electricity demand and raising big questions about our clean energy goals.

Join ELPC experts Brad Klein & Saad Siddique for an ELPC Thinks conversation Clean Energy & the Data Center Dilemma.

📅 Oct 9 | 1pm CT / 2pm ET
👉 https://bit.ly/4gTk6Z1

Coal Ash Cleanup Cannot Wait | ELPC

Coal ash is leaking toxic metals into groundwater across the Midwest. EPA must act now. Cleanup cannot wait.

🔗 https://bit.ly/4mz3C9q

ELPC Stands Up for Science, Fights to Protect the Endangerment Finding | ELPC

EPA’s 2009 Endangerment Finding was based on sound science and upheld by the courts. Climate evidence has only grown stronger.

EPA now proposes to undo it using a biased report from climate skeptics and a flawed reading of the law.

We filed comments pushing back.

🔗 https://bit.ly/4gGY4bG

Swimming in the Chicago River: Advocacy Helped Make This Happen | ELPC As Chicago plans for a historic open swim in the river, ELPC reflects on the work it took to clean up the river.

For almost a century, the Chicago River was too polluted to swim.

This weekend, hundreds of swimmers dove in for the first public Chicago River Swim in 98 years. ELPC, partners, and the Midwest environmental community made this milestone for clean water possible.

https://bit.ly/3Kg7dMb

Four Ways We’re Fighting Air and Water Pollution in Northwest Indiana | ELPC We work to hold polluters accountable, reduce air and water pollution, and protect healthy communities; and we have been busy!

From hazardous air to mercury in Lake Michigan, Northwest Indiana communities face major pollution threats. ELPC is fighting back.

https://elpc.org/blog/four-ways-were-fighting-air-and-water-pollution-in-northwest-indiana/

Did you know the House is poised to pass a bill putting our drinking water and wildlife at risk of even more pesticides and toxic discharges?

🚨 Tell your representative to vote NO on the PERMIT Act! 🚨

Keep the Roadless Rule: Protect Our National Forests Tell the U.S. Forest Service to protect our last wild forests.

512,000 acres of Midwest forests are at risk if the Trump Admin repeals the Roadless Rule. Repeal would invite logging, mining, and road-building into some of our last wild places.

📝 Submit your comment by Sept. 19: https://bit.ly/3KnAkx0

House Bill Amending the Clean Water Act Could Mean Dirtier Water Nationwide—And Especially in Iowa - Inside Climate News Residents fear the legislation would worsen the state’s already poor water quality, while reducing red tape and cutting costs for industries.

The PERMIT Act is the Permission to Pollute Act. It weakens the Clean Water Act, allowing more farm runoff, industrial waste, and toxic chemicals into rivers and lakes.

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/09092025/clean-water-act-amendments-iowa-impact/

Event: Protecting the Midwest's Wild Forests
📅 Sun, Sept 14 | 6 PM CT

Join us and @sierraclub.org for a webinar with former Forest Service Chief Mike Dombeck on the Trump Admin’s push to repeal the Roadless Rule and open 45M acres of forest to industry.

RSVP: act.sierraclub.org/events/detai...

Challenge to the Latest Illegal Extension of J.H. Campbell Coal Plant | Environmental Law & Policy Center

DOE issued a second “emergency” order keeping Michigan’s J.H. Campbell coal plant alive—despite no grid shortage. ELPC & allies are challenging this unlawful move to protect climate and ratepayers.

🔗 https://elpc.org/news/challenge-to-the-latest-illegal-extension-of-j-h-campbell-coal-plant/

Iowa environmental advocates say PERMIT Act would harm Iowa's water quality The bill's summary says it would "limit the scope of the Clean Water Act."

Nitrates in the Des Moines & Raccoon Rivers already forced a lawn watering ban this summer. As Congress returns to Washington, the #PERMITAct would only make Iowa’s water crisis and flooding risks worse.

https://bit.ly/3HFFu6T

Public meeting tomorrow on U.S. Steel Gary Works’ air permit changes. Share your concerns on particulate pollution impacts.

📅 Wed 9/3, 6pm
📍 21st Cent. Charter School, 556 Washington St, Gary, IN

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4ni4xMt

Calling on Iowa Delegation to Oppose the PERMIT Act | ELPC

Iowa’s water is already in crisis. Today, ELPC + 13 orgs delivered a letter to all 4 Iowa House Reps opposing the #PERMITAct, which would weaken the Clean Water Act & put safe drinking water at greater risk.

More: https://elpc.org/news/calling-on-iowa-delegation-to-oppose-the-permit-act/