The Illinois Environmental Council

06/22/2026

The Trump administration is rolling back bedrock environmental protections by weakening clean water protections, vehicle emissions standards, and regulations on toxic forever chemicals (PFAS) and coal ash. The uncomfortable truth is that these decisions trade long-term public health for short-term corporate profits.

Here in Illinois, leadership looks completely different.

In her latest powerful op-ed, Jen Walling, IEC CEO, details how Governor JB Pritzker and his administration are building one of the strongest state-level environmental records in the country. By advancing legislation like HB5070, Illinois is stopping the automatic adoption of weakened federal rules, like keeping our superior state standards for PFAS firmly in place.

As Jen writes: "Strong environmental laws are not abstract policy victories. They are the reason a child drinks safer water, a family breathes cleaner air, and communities avoid devastating toxic contamination.”

While states across the country decide whether to wait for Washington or to lead themselves, Illinois is choosing to lead. Read Jen's full analysis in the Chicago Sun-Times: https://chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/2026/06/22/trump-weakens-environmental-protections-illinois-pritzker-strengthen-laws-jen-walling

06/18/2026

Our 2026 Legislative Report is out now! 🏛️ If you're curious about what happened during the recent legislative session, this report is for you.

This report details the environmental wins and setbacks we faced. None of this work would be possible without our incredible legislative team. Huge thanks to Jen Walling, Dany Robles, Cate Caldwell, Aaron Wang and the rest of our dedicated staff for their tireless advocacy and hard work all session long!

Read the full report here ➡️ https://ilenviro.org/2026-legislative-report/

📣 Be on the lookout for our annual Environmental Scorecard coming soon, which details every legislator's vote on every significant environmental bill.

Have you been keeping up with this past legislative session? Click here for an update on all the environmental work that's been happening in Springfield this year.

06/17/2026

The severe storms we are seeing across Illinois aren’t random; they are part of a cyclical climate pattern. NOAA has officially declared that El Niño is here, and there is a 63% chance it escalates into a “very strong” Super El Niño, making it one of the largest on record since 1950.

El Niño is a natural climate cycle that occurs when winds shift and ocean waters near the Equator become unusually hot. This causes a massive transfer of heat energy from the Pacific Ocean into the global atmosphere.

For Illinois, this means our summer is being characterized by increased severe storms, tornadoes, and derechos. On top of the global heating from fossil fuel production, this climate pattern adds extra heat and moisture to the air.

While El Niño typically peaks around December and January, bringing Illinois a warmer winter with below-average snowfall, the immediate summer rollout threatens our region with volatile weather.

What happens across the globe directly connects to the severe weather hitting Illinois. No matter what climate challenges our state faces, we’re passing policies so Illinois does its part to combat the crisis and leave behind a livable future for generations to come.

06/17/2026

If you’re watching the weather radar right now, this is for you — what does the potential Super El Niño mean for Illinois?

🌪️ While El Niño typically peaks around December and January, bringing Illinois a warmer winter with below-average snowfall, the immediate summer rollout threatens our region with volatile weather. And yes, it’s here!

What happens globally will absolutely affect us here, too. No matter what climate challenges our state faces, we’re passing policies so Illinois does its part to combat the crisis and leave behind a livable future for generations to come 💚

💌 Support our work at the 🔗inbio!

💬 Let us know what climate policy you’d like to see!

📂Sources:

📄 Jim Angel for State Climatologist Office for Illinois: ”El Niño and La Niña in Illinois”
📄 NOAA: El Nino forms, expected to strengthen, say NOAA forecasters
📄 Brian Lada, AccuWeather meteorologist: Summer forecast 2026: Heat, severe storms to shape the season as El Niño develops, strengthens
📰 Seth Borenstein for Chicago Tribune: El Nino is here and scientists fear it’ll be big, bad and costly with heat, floods, droughts, fires
📰 David Yeomens for CBS News Chicago: Potentially historic El Niño brewing could bring stormy summer, warmer winter to Chicago area
📰 Andrew Freedman for CNN: El Niño is here and rapidly strengthening. Here’s what it means for your weather
📰 Frida Garza for Grist: The ‘super El Niño’ is here. What happens next could upend food systems worldwide.

06/12/2026

🎥 Our CEO .walling commends for his quick action in pausing the data center tax incentive – much-needed as we continue working to secure safeguards and get the POWER Act passed. 

💥 Take action to support the POWER Act at the 🔗inbio!

06/12/2026

Sing your heart out in support of Illinois’ environment! 🎤

As a bonus, some of your favorite lawmakers will be behind the bar to serve up cold beer and infused Malort 🍻

Join us for a toast to IEC and Mother Earth on June 18th at 6:30pm at Nisei Lounge, the oldest bar in Wrigleyville.

🎟️ Get your tickets ➡️ https://give.ilenviro.org/a/celebrity-bartender-2026

06/11/2026

Join Chicago Area Public Affairs Group for an engaging conversation on the environment and climate with our CEO, Jen Walling! Don’t miss out on hearing about key policy developments from the recent legislative session and the most pressing climate issues impacting our communities today.

📅 Date: Thursday, June 18
📍 Location: Union League Club of Chicago
🔗 Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/future-of-environmental-policy-a-capag-conversation-with-jen-walling-tickets-1985317414831?aff=oddtdtcreator

06/04/2026

Let’s celebrate the incredible organizers of the Coalition to Stop CO2 Pipelines! 🙌

Private companies are pushing hazardous, highly pressurized CO2 pipelines through Illinois, often threatening to use eminent domain to seize family farmland. Local communities are fighting back because of the significant safety and rupture risks these pipelines pose.

The Coalition has already proven they can stand up to these massive corporate developers and win. Now, they’ve built a powerful, bipartisan effort in Springfield to strip these pipeline companies of their eminent domain powers for good.

With an impressive track record like theirs, we know there will be a lot more giant-toppling ahead!

Learn more about their efforts here ➡️ https://www.illinoistimes.com/news/proposed-bill-would-stop-eminent-domain-for-carbon-dioxide-pipelines-in-illinois/

06/03/2026

🚃💨 WE SAVED TRANSIT!!! ❤️‍🔥

NITA has officially gone into effect and we’re so overjoyed to see all of our hard work pay off. It’s all thanks to people like you who care, show up, and write to their legislators. 

Stay engaged by joining our DM channel 💌

06/03/2026

Fun fact! The Mississippi River is home to more than 260 species of fish. 🐟 That is more fish diversity than almost any other river system in North America. From paddlefish and sturgeon to catfish and walleye, the River is absolutely teeming with life.

We are all connected to this River, and it is only thriving if we protect it. This June 1–15, join and be part of the effort to keep the Mississippi healthy for people and wildlife alike.

🌊 Find events and learn more ➡️ mississippiriver.org/river-days-of-action 1 Mississippi