Lots of new laws in Illinois starting January 1, here's just a few you should know

Illinois’ 1% statewide grocery tax will end Jan. 1, though many municipalities will continue collecting a local version.

---

by Ben Szalinski & Brenden Moore
Capitol News Illinois

Illinois’ statewide 1% grocery tax will go away on Jan. 1, though many people will continue to pay it at the local level.

Data compiled by the Illinois Municipal League shows that 656 municipalities — a little more than half of the state’s municipalities — have passed an ordinance establishing their own grocery tax. Those communities are home to 7.2 million people, or 56.5% of the state’s population. Three counties — Washington, Wabash and Moultrie — have also approved countywide grocery taxes.

Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill in 2024 eliminating the 1% statewide grocery tax, which he touted as a measure to ease residents’ tax burden. But because the revenue from the state grocery tax went to municipal governments, rather than state coffers, the measure allowed local governments to levy their own 1% tax via ordinance, rather than a referendum to voters.

Here are some other laws that will take effect in the new year:

Hotel soaps phased out

The phase-out of small, single-use plastic bottles in Illinois hotel rooms continues.

Senate Bill 2960, passed and signed into law in 2024, bars hotels from providing toiletries such as shampoo, conditioner and bath soap in less than six-ounce plastic containers unless specifically requested by the hotel guest.

The ban took effect in hotels with 50 or more rooms on July 1 and takes effect for all hotels starting in 2026. Hotels in violation will receive a written warning for the first offense and be subject to fines of up to $1,500 for each subsequent violation.

The legislation is intended to spur the state’s hospitality industry to reduce its plastic footprint by shifting to either refillable toiletry containers or larger plastic bottles.

Similar laws have been enacted in states like California, New York and Washington.

Squatter removal

Senate Bill 1563 will make it easier for authorities to remove squatters who are illegally staying at someone else’s residence.

The law clarifies that a court-ordered eviction is not required for police to remove squatters from a person’s home, and police can enforce criminal trespassing charges against a squatter.

Pritzker signed the bill in July after squatters moved into a home next door to Rep. Marcus Evans in Chicago. According to ABC-7, Chicago Police told homeowners they couldn’t remove the squatters from the home and the homeowners would have to go through the eviction process in Cook County court, which can take months.

Drinking water protections

Senate Bill 1723 bans carbon sequestration — the process of capturing and storing carbon by injecting it underground — within an area that "overlies, underlies, or passes through" a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-designated sole-source aquifer.

The new law applies to the footprint of the Mahomet Aquifer, which is the main source of drinking water for more than 500,000 people across a 15-county area in central Illinois.

It comes as Illinois, especially downstate, is targeted for carbon sequestration projects due to the state’s favorable geology and the availability of federal tax credits.

Studies, including those conducted by researchers at the University of Illinois, have found minimal risk to water sources from sequestration activity.

But the legislation was a priority for central Illinois community activists, environmental advocates and a bipartisan cadre of local lawmakers with zero risk tolerance due to the lack of a clear alternative water source if the aquifer were tainted.

Safer gear for firefighters

Illinois will take first steps towards requiring safer gear for firefighters.

Under House Bill 2409, manufacturers of firefighter turnout gear starting in 2026 must provide written notice if their products contain PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals.”

Numerous scientific studies have linked exposure to PFAS to an increased risk of developing various forms of cancer.

Manufacturers will be banned from selling turnout gear and personal protective equipment containing PFAS altogether starting on Jan. 1, 2027.

Lift-assist fees

House Bill 2336 allows municipalities or fire districts to charge assisted living facilities or nursing homes for calls to fire departments requesting help lifting a resident when it is not an emergency.

The bill was an initiative of the Illinois Municipal League, which argued the calls to fire departments for the nonemergency service are a burden on local governments and shift liabilities for injuries that happen during the process to fire departments rather than the facility.

Stadium funding

Senate Bill 2772 adds women’s professional sports to the types of facilities the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority can oversee. Current law only allows the ISFA to oversee sports facilities for baseball, football and auto racing.

The bill is not designed to move any team’s stadium proposals forward, though the Chicago Stars women’s soccer team has previously been reported to be interested in building a new stadium with help from state funding.

The bill was the only one related to sports stadium funding that advanced in Springfield in 2025. The Chicago Bears committed earlier this year to building a stadium in Arlington Heights but are still waiting for approval from the village and struggling to find support in Springfield for funding.

Public official privacy

House Bill 576 allows state lawmakers, constitutional officers and state’s attorneys, among others, to request that their personal information be redacted on public websites.

Public officials would be able to use their campaign funds to pay for personal security services and security upgrades to their home, including security systems, cameras, walls, fences and other physical improvements.

Rewilding

House Bill 2726 allows the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to implement rewilding as a conservation strategy for the state.

This could entail the restoration of land to its natural state and the reintroduction of native species, especially apex predators and keystone species like bison and beavers.

Illinois is believed to be the first state to codify the strategy into law.

Reservation app regulations

State lawmakers voted this year to crackdown on third-party restaurant reservation apps.

House Bill 2456 prohibits third-party reservation services from selling reservations without a restaurant’s permission. Restaurants are still allowed to partner with the services.

Paid time off to pump breast milk

Senate Bill 212 mandates employers to compensate mothers who take breaks at work to pump breast milk for up to a year after their child is born. The bill prohibits employers from requiring employees to use paid leave time for pumping.

Naloxone in libraries

House Bill 1910 requires that libraries maintain a supply of opioid overdose medication, like naloxone. This drug is often administered through a nasal spray like Narcan. The law also requires that at least one staff member be trained to identify overdoses and administer the drug.

Police training on sexual assault

Senate Bill 1195, also known as Anna’s Law, requires police officers in training to participate in trauma-informed programs, procedures and practices that are designed to reduce trauma for victims. The bill is named after Anna Williams, a suburban resident who brought the initiative to lawmakers following her own experience with a sexual assault investigation. The bill takes effect in January.

Predatory towing

Senate Bill 2040 gives the Illinois Commerce Commission new powers to punish predatory towing companies which sometimes tow cars under false pretenses only to charge drivers afterwards. The ICC-backed law allows the agency to revoke towing licenses, impound tow trucks and more.

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.

Jerry Nowicki contributed to this story.

---

More on Illinois politics

---

TAGS: Illinois laws taking effect in 2026, Illinois grocery tax repeal impact, new Illinois public safety laws 2026, Illinois environmental legislation Mahomet Aquifer, Illinois consumer protection laws 2026

Illinois rural co-ops still tied to major polluter

---

Co-ops still heavily depend on coal and other fossil fuels for the majority of their power. Twenty-five of them in Illinois still have an ownership share in the Prairie State Coal Plant.

---

Photo: İsmail Hamza Polat/Unsplash

Illinois has about 25 rural electric cooperatives that provide power to more than 300,000 rural homes, farms, and businesses in the state.

---

by Judith Ruiz-Branch
Public News Service

CHICAGO - A new scorecard shows rural electric cooperatives in Illinois are making improvements but experts said the majority of them are still helping to power the Prairie State Coal Plant, one of the top greenhouse gas polluters in the country.

The 2025 Illinois Rural Electric Scorecard from nonprofit Prairie Rivers Network grades eight Midwest state power cooperatives on 16 performance metrics.

Anthony Henson, rural energy organizer for the network, said there have been significant improvements since last year’s inaugural scorecard, with 20 cooperatives increasing their overall score. Henson explained co-ops originally formed to bring electricity to rural areas and are owned by the people they serve. He stressed the goal of the scorecard is to empower people with information about their co-ops.

"In the spirit of democratic participation in which these institutions were first created, we find that if member owners become more active inside their co-ops, the co-ops become responsive when making changes, whether it's transparency or operations," Henson outlined.

Hensen noted co-ops still heavily depend on coal and other fossil fuels for the majority of their power, adding the hope is the co-op scorecard, along with energy planning provisions and other legislation, will empower member-owners to help push their co-op toward a clean energy future.

However, nearly all the 25 co-ops in Illinois still have an ownership share in the Prairie State Coal Plant. Henson pointed out the first scorecard helped build momentum for the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act passed this fall, which created new standards for municipal and rural electric cooperatives.

"That is important because municipal and rural electric cooperatives have always been left out of the standards of these laws, and that has changed this year," Henson underscored. "We are now requiring co-ops in Illinois to do strategic resource planning."

It includes posting agenda minutes and election procedures online starting in 2026, conducting transparent long-term energy planning with public participation and making rooftop solar more accessible to ensure compliance with Illinois' goal of 40% renewable energy by 2030.

"Rural electric cooperatives are tasked with keeping the lights on in rural communities," Henson emphasized. "They do a very good job in being responsive to the needs of their member owners. And we expect them to continue providing clean and reliable electricity over the course of the next century."

Advocates rally against repeal of roadless rule protecting Midwest forests by Trump Administration

---

Opponents say repealing the Roadless Rule would harm pristine forests, worsen climate change and endanger Midwest water supplies.

---

Photo: Tienko Dima/Unsplash

by Judith Ruiz-Branch
Public News Service

CHICAGO - Environmental advocates are urging residents in Illinois and across the Midwest to oppose the Trump administration's proposal to repeal the Roadless Rule. The conservation policy safeguards more than half a million acres of undeveloped land in National Forests across the Midwest from road construction and logging.

Kelly Thayer, senior policy advocate with the Environmental Law and Policy Center, said these lands have remained untouched for decades and represent some of America's most pristine wilderness. He stressed that cutting them down to allow logging, mining and roads would accelerate climate change and threaten the water source for many communities.

"So, ironically, the rule is preventing fires," he explained. "The Trump administration wants to repeal it in the name of fighting fires. The truth is that roads and people who use them are the greatest cause of forest fires."

Thayer added that the law includes flexibility for things like fire management, making the proposed repeal unnecessary. He emphasizes how critical it is for people to voice their concerns now given the U.S. Department of Agriculture only provided a 21-day public comment period which ends Friday. People can submit comments online at Regulations.gov.

The Roadless Rule was established in 2001. Thayer said after more than 600 public meetings and a record 1.6 million public comments, an overwhelming majority of people supported the protection of these natural lands. So far, more than 133,000 comments have been submitted to the U.S. Department of Agriculture in response to the proposed repeal.

"We have some fantastic wild gems right in our midst," he said. "These areas are in our backyard and they can be lost, and lost forever if we don't stand up and take action now."

Those include Illinois’ Shawnee National Forest and the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in Wisconsin. Thayer stressed these wildlands would be at risk should the Department of Agriculture move forward with ending the Roadless Rule. Supporters of the rollback say more roads will help firefighters reach hard-to-access areas and provide economic opportunities through logging.

---

More stories ~

IDOC enacts emergency rule to protect staff from contraband

Violent extremism the focus of new AG tip line; teacher faces license revocation

Guest Commentary | The price of free speech in the workplace

Bipartisan experts agree: Climate change poses security and economic risks

---

Roadless Rule repeal Midwest, Shawnee National Forest protections, Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest logging, Illinois environmental advocacy, USDA public comment Roadless Rule

---

Microplastics: Why you should worry about in our food supply?

---

Dr. Ovadia says microplastics may have negative effects on testosterone in men and estrogen and progesterone in women. This could mean reduced muscle mass and libido for men.

---

Photo: Pete Linforth from Pixabay

A turtle makes his way over a mound of decaying plastic bottles on a beach. The byproduct from the decay are called microplastics or nanoplastics, which are incredibly small pieces of plastic that can get into our body. Scientists don’t fully understand microplastics’ impact on the human body. A lot of research is needed to determine the negative impact on our health.

---

by Tim Ditman
OSF Healthcare

URBANA - From news reports to social media blurbs to medical studies, they’ve been in the public eye a lot lately. And experts say that likely won’t change.

We’re talking about microplastics or nanoplastics, incredibly small pieces of plastic that can get into our body.

Photo provided

Philip Ovadia, MD

---

So, how concerned should we be? Philip Ovadia, MD, a cardiothoracic surgeon at OSF HealthCare, says this issue will continue to be studied for years. But there are things you can do now to optimize your health and reduce your risk of problems.

“We’re increasing our understanding of the toxins in our environment. Our environment has become more toxic, and that’s a challenge to our health,” Dr. Ovadia says. “The best thing for people to do is to control what you can control. What are you eating? What are you using on your body? What is your lifestyle like? How active are you?”

Where do microplastics come from? What harm can they do?

Dr. Ovadia says microplastics can be purposefully manufactured as part of a product. Toothpaste and skin exfoliants are examples. Or, microplastics can occur when larger plastic products, like water bottles, break down. The microplastics can then get into our environment, such as ocean water or our foods and drinks.

“There’s even some evidence that these things can spread in the air, and we can breathe them in,” Dr. Ovadia adds.

Dr. Ovadia points to three areas where ingesting microplastics could be cause for concern.

• Intestines: Dr. Ovadia says microplastics can irritate our intestines, leading to inflammation of tissue and a condition called leaky gut.

  “That’s when we get a breakdown of the barrier that lines our intestines. That allows some things in our food that aren’t supposed to get across into our bloodstream to get into the bloodstream. Many of these things set off inflammation in the body,” Dr. Ovadia says.

• Endocrine system: Dr. Ovadia says microplastics may have negative effects on testosterone in men and estrogen and progesterone in women. This could mean reduced muscle mass and libido for men. For women, it could mean changes in the menstrual cycle, an increased infertility risk and, for young women, earlier start of puberty.
• Blood vessels: Dr. Ovadia points to a 2024 study where experts looked at plaque removed from the carotid artery (located in the neck) of study participants.

  “For over half of the people, there was evidence of microplastics in those plaques. Furthermore for the people who had those microplastics, over the next three years they had a four-and-a-half times increased risk for a heart attack, a stroke or dying,” Dr. Ovadia says.

  “It doesn’t prove that the plastics are causing the problems,” Dr. Ovadia adds. “But it’s certainly concerning data. And I, as a heart surgeon, start to worry. If we see these in plaques in arteries in the neck, are they also in the plaques in arteries of the heart patients I operate on?”

---

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Heating food in certain types of plastic containers can be harmful due to the leaching of chemicals into the food. Microwaving food in plastic, especially those not specifically labeled as microwave-safe, can cause chemicals from the plastic to transfer to the food

---

What should I do?

So, do we need to panic about microplastics? Should the health concerns be akin to smoking?

Not now, Dr. Ovadia says. He reiterates that studies on this topic are in the early stages, and experts don’t fully understand microplastics’ impact on our health.

“It’s an unknown risk at this point,” he says.

But, there are small, everyday steps you can take to reduce the risk of microplastics entering your body.

• Drink from a glass or stainless steel bottle, not a plastic bottle.
• Use a good water filtration system. That could be built into your home’s water supply, or you could purchase a filter to attach to your faucet or water bottle.
• Make food choices that minimize your exposure to plastic wraps and containers. Think the to-go boxes you get at a restaurant. Instead, eat more fresh, non-packaged food. Find these in the outer aisles of the grocery store.
• “Eat the things that grow in the ground, and eat the things that eat the things that grow in the ground,” Dr. Ovadia says with a smile. “That’s how I always explain it to people. Try eating more whole, real food. That will minimize your exposure to microplastics.”
• Look into the cosmetics and toiletries you use. Dr. Ovadia admits the jargon on a label can be difficult to understand. Instead, research the brands themselves. If, for example, a toothpaste brand is pledging to reduce microplastics in their products, it’s a green flag.

---

Other articles you might like:

• Allergic rhinitis is a year round concern, especially for children
• Sing your way to better health
• What you need to know about Tuberculosis: Symptoms, Spread and Safety Tips
• 52% of Americans say there is a secret to success, according to new study

---

Book Review | I Fuel, How Energy Powers Our Busy World

---

I Fuel is a breath of fresh air in the category of children’s books on energy sustainability.

---

by Esther Aardsma

"As dinosaurs thump about, my life begins," opens I Fuel, Kelly Rice Schmitt’s attempt to explain to children the complex web of energy topics.

Where do gasoline and jet fuel come from? How do our lights turn on? Why do we seek alternative energy sources? These questions are answered at a young child’s level in this 2024 picture book. Schmitt starts by describing the formation of crude oil, then delves into the harvesting, refining, and delivery processes, and finally explores alternative energy sources, hinting at possibilities for the future. Several pages of notes at the end of the book provide additional resources for older kids and adults interested in facts about different types of fossil fuels and descriptions of various careers in the energy industry.

The text of I Fuel is pleasant, almost poetic; the illustrations are colorful and simple, perhaps slightly reminiscent of a less fanciful Eric Carle. The book is devoid of foul language or romantic content. Graphic content is limited to cartoon-like illustrations: a man with a pacemaker in his heart (we see inside his body as a doctor listens to his heart); a boy with a bionic leg; rescue workers cleaning up an oil spill and rescuing oil-logged wildlife; and an overheated, dirty, reddened-sky scene intended to evoke sadness.

I Fuel is a breath of fresh air in the category of children’s books on energy sustainability. Schmitt’s book aims to present a balanced viewpoint on the topic, focusing more on teaching facts than on indoctrination into specific beliefs or actions. The negatives of careless fossil fuel usage are recognized and discussed, but Schmitt also creates space to celebrate the achievements recent generations have made through the use of fossil fuels.

"One day [people] may not need me [crude oil/fossil fuel] at all," Schmitt concludes, "but until then…I fuel!"

---

Esther Aardsma, a Champaign County native, currently resides in Thomasboro with her busy family. When she can, she pursues her passion for creativity, especially with words--and shares that love through editing, coaching one-on-one, and teaching classes.

Tagged: children's book about energy, teaching kids about fossil fuels, energy sustainability for kids, Kelly Rice Schmitt I Fuel review

---

Book Review |Secrets of the Ocean: 15 Bedtime Stories Inspired by Nature

---

Dive into a book that turns bedtime into a learning moment. The stories are soft and soothing, yet they carry subtle messages about nature, conservation, and family—all delivered in a kid-friendly way.

---

by Esther Aardsma

Did you know an albatross can fly five million miles in its lifetime? Did you know a mimic octopus can copy as many as fifteen different other marine creatures? Did you know that when sea otters flip and twirl in the water, they are not just doing it for fun, but also to trap water bubbles in their fur for insulation against the sea’s cold?

In Secrets of the Ocean: 15 Bedtime Stories Inspired by Nature (2024), Alicia Klepeis presents fifteen gentle stories from sea life, each portraying a different microcosm of life in the ocean. The book is aimed toward the younger crowd and is probably most applicable for children aged ten and under, although some older children might find it interesting as well. Each story, most of which follows a family through its journey, is followed by several pages explaining the factual basis behind the story. Kaja Kajfež’s cozy illustrations lend a warm, soothing tone to the book—and the heavy-duty cover, with its embossed gold accents, is simply gorgeous.

Secrets of the Ocean lightly touches on topics of global warming, climate change, and pollution (especially plastics). One story includes what could potentially be a traumatic account of a turtle eating a plastic bag—although the story does not specify what happens to the turtle afterward, a child would naturally be agitated over it. The section of scientific facts included after that story does spell out that when animals eat plastic it does indeed “make them very ill or even kill them.”

A story focusing on a pod of orcas includes an illustration of a pair of orcas biting into a skate (which looks like a manta ray). The illustration is bloodless, but the skate looks like something that could be featured as the main character in a different anecdote. Mentions of mating, egg-laying, pregnancy, calving, etc., are frequent, although present in low-key terms, images, and details. The most confusing statement along those lines is “Seahorses are some of the only animals on Earth in which the males become pregnant and have babies.”

For land-locked Midwestern children, the ocean can be a nebulous, mysterious idea—it’s a completely different world than the day-to-day corn and soybeans, deer and squirrels. Secrets of the Ocean lovingly promises a glimpse into just that—the hidden treasures of the sea.

---

Esther Aardsma, a Champaign County native, currently resides in Thomasboro with her busy family. When she can, she pursues her passion for creativity, especially with words--and shares that love through editing, coaching one-on-one, and teaching classes.

Consumer advocates tell regulators to slash rate hike requests from Ameren, Nicor

---

Ameren Illinois, which has about 800,000 downstate customers, requested an increase that translates to between $8 to $10 higher monthly bills for a typical residential customer.

---

by Andrew Adams
Capitol News Illinois

SPRINGFIELD - Natural gas customers in the Chicago suburbs and downstate Illinois are likely to see an increase in their monthly bills next year, but it's up to state regulators to decide how big a hike, if any, to approve.

Nicor Gas, which serves 2.3 million customers in northern and western Illinois, requested the largest gas rate plan in state history — roughly equivalent to $7.50 per month for the average residential customer. Ameren Illinois, which has about 800,000 downstate customers, requested an increase that translates to between $8 to $10 higher monthly bills for a typical residential customer.

Regulators at the Illinois Commerce Commission are expected to announce a decision as to whether to approve or alter the hikes in November. The new rates would go into effect at the start of 2026.

In the meantime, consumer watchdogs and environmental advocates are railing against both utilities for their requests, which they argue should be slashed drastically.

Critiques from consumer groups

The Citizens Utility Board, a consumer watchdog group, filed written testimony this month in both cases arguing that the requests should be cut — Nicor's by about 36% and Ameren's by about 42%. Other groups, like the Illinois attorney general’s office, the Environmental Defense Fund and others argued for additional cuts in their own filings.

Abe Scarr, director of the consumer advocacy group Illinois PIRG, said the companies are requesting “long-term commitments” in paying for gas system infrastructure, despite the potential for decreasing demand for fossil fuels.

---

For Ameren, much of the contention comes from the company’s plan to upgrade its natural gas system.

---

“The more expensive their infrastructure investments, the more opportunity they have to profit,” Scarr said. Because utility profits are regulated by agencies like the ICC, there is a financial incentive to invest in infrastructure so that more funds can be “recovered” from customers — a portion of which then go to shareholders.

That rate of return is one of the things being litigated in these rate cases. Both companies requested a bump in their allowed “return on equity,” which translates to the amount paid to shareholders. In recent years, the ICC has consistently rejected utilities’ requests for higher return rates, although they have approved some modest increases.

“You’re asking us to predict what those shares are worth next year? Next month is gonna be hard,” CUB’s general counsel Eric DeBellis said.

DeBellis said the companies overstepped in other areas of their requests as well, including costs associated with rate cases and post-employment benefits as well as an accounting irregularity worth millions of dollars that Ameren has already admitted was erroneous.

He noted that Nicor included tens of millions of dollars of projects that were rejected by the ICC in the company’s rate request two years ago, a move that DeBellis called “galling.”

Environmentalists question future of gas

The companies drew criticism from some environmentalists, who argued in testimony this month that investing in natural gas infrastructure as the state — and country — move away from fossil fuels could leave customers on the hook for the bill for decades.

Curt Stokes, a senior attorney at the Environmental Defense Fund, said he's concerned that gas companies are building out new gas infrastructure in a way that “locks us in and keeps us hooked on fossil fuels for our energy needs.”

For Ameren, much of the contention comes from the company’s plan to upgrade its natural gas system, a plan that company officials say is required by federal safety rules. But critics point out that Ameren frequently chooses to totally replace pipes — the most expensive and most profitable option — instead of cheaper alternatives like testing them for safety. But Ameren officials defend the choice as being the only option to ensure compliance with federal rules.

---

They certainly have not demonstrated, and there’s lots of — lots of — reasons to be skeptical, that there’s any environmental benefit.

---

“The investments we have proposed in our reliability plan will enable us to meet strict federal pipeline safety requirements, reduce leaks, and provide reliable and affordable natural gas service for our residential and business customers,” Brad Kloeppel, Ameren’s senior director of gas operations, said in a statement. “We evaluate all methods available for each segment of pipe subject to compliance based on cost and operational feasibility."

Meanwhile, advocates have criticized Nicor’s efforts at lessening greenhouse gas emissions.

The utility requested to make permanent a pilot program called “TotalGreen,” a voluntary effort that allows customers to pay to offset their carbon footprint through a mix of “renewable natural gas” and investments in methane capture and forest conservation.

“They certainly have not demonstrated, and there’s lots of — lots of — reasons to be skeptical, that there’s any environmental benefit,” Scarr said.

The EDF, Illinois PIRG and the Environmental Law and Policy Center argued in a joint filing that the “TotalGreen” program fails to live up to the state’s clean energy goals.

Among other reasons, the groups’ testimony said it costs more than $2,400 per person and has only offset the equivalent of 0.0031% of the company’s yearly carbon footprint.

Jennifer Golz, a Nicor spokesperson, said the program “supports the state’s broader environmental objectives on the path to a sustainable future.”

“Nicor Gas supports our parent company, Southern Company Gas, in its goal to achieve net zero direct greenhouse gas emissions from its operations by 2050,” Golz said in an email. “We also support reducing emissions across the natural gas value chain, from gas production to transmission to end uses.”

TotalGreen is one of several projects outlined in the two rate cases which use “renewable natural gas,” a term for methane that is captured from landfills, wastewater treatment plants and farms that would have otherwise been released into the atmosphere.

Stokes said there were “too many open questions” about renewable natural gas programs for the EDF to support the initiatives, but he was optimistic about some of the companies’ other proposals.

“There are good signs in these cases that Nicor and Ameren are looking to be more innovative,” Stokes said.

He pointed specifically to Nicor’s energy efficiency programs and a proposal for a pilot program at Ameren which would allow communities to transition from natural gas to electric all at once as pipes need to be replaced or retired.

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.

---

League of Women Voters speak out on concerns at Illinois state capitol

---

The League of Women Voters of Illinois meets with lawmakers on Lobby Day to address key social and environmental issues.

---

Photo courtesy League of Women Voters of Illinois

League of Women Voters of Illinois members gather in Springfield for their annual Lobby Day on Wednesday. Experienced League members and members of the new Volunteer Lobby Corps met face-to-face with state legislators.

---

SPRINGFIELD - The League of Women Voters of Illinois (LWVIL) returned to the Illinois State Capitol on Wednesday, May 8, for its annual Lobby Day, engaging with lawmakers across the political spectrum to advocate for a range of policy issues.

This year’s event marked the debut of the organization’s newly established Volunteer Lobby Corps, a group of trained advocates who joined experienced League members in meeting face-to-face with legislators. Prior to their Capitol meetings, the volunteers underwent orientation led by seasoned members to prepare for discussions with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.

The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan group, bases its advocacy on positions it has thoroughly studied and reached consensus on. According to LWVIL President Becky Simon, the group continues to press for voting rights protections and initiatives aimed at building a more equitable democratic system.

“LWVIL advocates to protect voting rights and advance a more equitable democracy,” Simon stated. “The League stands up for social justice issues because systemic inequities prohibit people from participating equally in our democracy.”

This year’s lobbying priorities included the defense of Constitutional rights and efforts to ensure equity in both education and housing. Local chapters of the League were also encouraged to raise district-specific issues with their representatives. These included managing environmental waste and safeguarding aquifers from potential contaminants.

The organization’s Capitol visit is part of a broader effort to maintain a visible presence in public policy discussions and to empower volunteers to take active roles in civic engagement.

---

---

Related articles:

• Navigating parenthood and professional life: Cari Rincker’s insights on 'The Billable Mom'
• SAVE Act faces scrutiny as advocates warn of voter suppression risks
• Advocates push for mandatory minimum nurse staffing ratios at Illinois hospitals
• C-U 'Hands Off!' protesters rally against Trump administration policies and Musk-led cuts

---

Commentary |The path forward for real environmentalism

---

At its core, environmentalism is about preserving the planet for future generations, safeguarding ecosystems, and ensuring that the constant stream of human progress doesn't come at the detrimental cost of environmental destruction.

---

by Sam Holmes

     Guest Commentator

---

---

As the country and world grapple with an ongoing pollution crisis and demands for cleaner energy, the discourse on combating the negative environmental consequences of human civilization almost universally revolves around renewable energy and “sustainable living.” Yet, there is one crucial tool that is almost universally overlooked in this conversation, and that is the use of nuclear energy.

Despite its clear potential andproven track record of powering the lives of millions around the world with minimal environmental damage, the use of nuclear energy remains an issue that is very divisive. It’s time for us to embrace nuclear power as a cornerstone of what real environmentalism looks like, a cornerstone that prioritizes both sustainability and human prosperity.

At its core, environmentalism is about preserving the planet for future generations, safeguarding ecosystems, and ensuring that the constant stream of human progress doesn't come at the detrimental cost of environmental destruction. Yet, the universal consensus on how we should do so seems to be entirely focused on wind, solar, bioenergy, and carbon capture. While some of those efforts can be useful in certain circumstances, they are not without severe limitations.

For example, solar and wind energy are intermittent, relying on favorable weather conditions. They require vast amounts of land to even produce the same energy output as traditional sources such as oil or natural gas. Whereas in contrast, nuclear energy offers a much more stable, reliable, and highly efficient source of energy. In fact, nuclear power plants are built to withstand severe natural disasters of all kinds. Wind and solar, on the other hand, are often damaged beyond repair by mild tropical storms or even the occasional hail event.

Nuclear materials are by far the most efficient source of energy on the planet. A single uranium fuel pellet, which is roughly the size of a fingertip, contains as much energy as 1,780 pounds of coal, according to the Nuclear Energy Institute.

This high density of energy means that nuclear plants require less resources compared to their “renewable” counterparts. In addition, nuclear power plants on average only take up a measly one third of an acre of land, while the average wind farm spans a grotesque 2-40 acres per megawatts produced. Given that a nuclear plant produces on average 1,000 megawatts, at minimum, any given wind farm would require 2,000 acres of land to compete with nuclear energy’s output, as according to the U.S Department Of Energy.

Despite these advantages, the use of nuclear energy remains mired in public skepticism, often due to safety concerns and historical accidents like Chernobyl and Fukushima. These events are undeniably tragic with lasting environmental damage, but the media and academia have disingenuously shaped public perception, making nuclear energy appear far worse than its actual track record. Nuclear energy remains among the safest forms of energy ever invented, especially when contrasted to fossil fuels, coal burning, and “renewable” energy sources. While nuclear accidents can have severe consequences, nuclear plants are among the safest and most secure facilities on the face of the planet as a result of past incidents.

As citizens who truly care about the world around us and its longevity, we must call upon our state and federal governments to directly incentivize nuclear technology through tax incentives, joint public-private projects, and academic or federal grants to ensure maximum fluidity.

In summary, the path forward for real environmentalism requires a pragmatic approach that embraces all available tools. While solar and wind energy can be useful in certain circumstances like powering a home or providing energy in remote locations, they cannot even come close to powering the American grid let alone the world for that matter. Which is why nuclear energy, with its reliability, efficiency, and minimal presence, must be recognized as a cornerstone of our future global effort to conserve our beautiful planet.

It’s time to move beyond fear and misconceptions and embrace nuclear energy as the most powerful ally in our admirable fight to safeguard our home for future generations.

About the author:
Sam Holmes is a freshman at the University of Illinois. When he is not studying, he is constantly stimulating his mind and body, whether that be from doing wordles daily or going to the gym and lifting weights. He believes mankind's greatest truth is in embracing our fragility, finding the strength to live authentically and ethically within the mystery of existence.

---

Chemical contaminates found in Illinois rivers threaten food chain

SNS - Scientists tested nine fish species from four northern Illinois rivers for contamination with per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances, synthetic chemicals found in numerous industrial and commercial products and known to be harmful to human health. They found fish contaminated with PFAS in every one of their 15 test sites. Elevated levels of PFOS, one type of PFAS compound, were found in nearly all fish tested.

---

Study found that there were high levels of PFASs contamination levels in channel catfish found in Illinois waterways.

G.C./Pixabay

---

The qualities that make PFAS desirable for industrial uses — their durability and stability under stresses such as high heat or exposure to water, for example — also make these chemicals particularly problematic in the environment and hazardous to human and animal health, said Joseph Irudayaraj, a professor of bioengineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who led the new study.

The findings are reported in the journal Science of the Total Environment.

Short-chain PFASs (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are widely used as alternatives to long-chain PFASs. Long-chain PFASs become gradually regulated under REACH (EC No. 1907/2006) and other international regulations, due to having persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic properties and/or being toxic for reproduction. The increasingly used short-chain PFASs are assumed to have a lower bioaccumulation potential.

“PFAS contain multiple carbon-fluorine bonds, one of the strongest bonds in organic chemistry,” Irudayaraj said, who is also a professor in the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology and an affiliate of the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology and the Carle Illinois College of Medicine at the U. of I. “Because of this, they are also very hard to break down. They persist for a long time because they are very, very stable.”

---

Considering such permanent exposure, it is very difficult to estimate long-term adverse effects in organisms. Enriched in edible parts of plants, the accumulation in food chains is unknown.

---

There are nearly 15,000 PFAS chemicals, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These are classified either as short-chain PFAS, which have less than six carbon-fluorine bonds, and long-chain PFAS, with six or more of these bonds, Irudayaraj said.

Long-chain PFAS were widely used before awareness grew about the hazards of these chemicals. More recently, many industries switched to using short-chain PFAS.

“It was thought that the short-chain PFAS were less toxic, and that they could more easily degrade,” he said. “But surprisingly, that was not the case.”

Now, both types of PFAS are found in groundwater, soil and human tissues.

Short-chain PFASs have a high mobility in soil and water, and final degradation products are extremely persistent. This results in a fast distribution to water resources, and consequently, also to a contamination of drinking water resources. Once emitted, short-chain PFASs remain in the environment. A lack of appropriate water treatment technologies results in everlasting background concentrations in the environment, and thus, organisms are permanently and poorly reversibly exposed. Considering such permanent exposure, it is very difficult to estimate long-term adverse effects in organisms. Enriched in edible parts of plants, the accumulation in food chains is unknown.

“About 99% of people living in the U.S. have PFAS in their system,” Irudayaraj said.

Studies on animals have shown that short-chain PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are almost completely absorbed when ingested or inhaled but not much through the skin. Both short- and long-chain PFAS don't break down easily in the body due to their strong chemical bonds. Even if these chemicals start off in different forms, they eventually turn into acids through several steps, which can be more toxic than the original chemicals. One such toxic substance, perfluorohexyl ethanoic acid (FHEA), has been found in various tissues from deceased people, according to research published by The Danish Environmental Protection Agency in 2015.

The time it takes for these acids to leave the blood varies depending on the specific chemical, the species, and even the sex of the animal. In general, sulfonates (a type of PFAS) take longer to be eliminated than carboxylates (another type), and longer chains take longer to leave the body than shorter ones. In animals, the time is often shorter for females due to differences in how their bodies process these chemicals. The time these substances stay in the blood can range from a few hours to days in rodents, a bit longer in monkeys, and much longer in humans, sometimes lasting years. However, shorter-chain PFAS tend to leave the body faster, except for PFHxS (a six-carbon chain PFAS), which has a longer half-life in humans than some other PFAS like PFOA and PFOS.

Despite a voluntary phasing out of some PFAS in industry in the U.S. and efforts to reduce PFAS pollution, these chemicals are still found in drinking water, household products, food packaging and agricultural products, he said.

---

Fish from the Rock River had the highest concentrations of PFAS in their tissues.

---

The manufacturers of chemical products using PFAS argue that the newer short-chain PFAS is safer than the widely known long-chain contaminants. Despite this assertion, the Auburn study's significant findings challenge these statements. The research indicates that short-chain chemicals are frequently present in drinking water systems and could potentially endanger human and environmental well-being. Additionally, current removal methods are relatively less efficient when it comes to eliminating short-chain PFAS in comparison to long-chain PFAS.

The Auburn study analyzed over 200 individual studies on PFAS finding that the short-chain contaminants may be just as harmful as the long-chain versions, if not more. The short-chain PFAS have been linked to hormonal and reproductive system harm.

The researchers in the U of I study focused on fish in northern Illinois rivers because they are close to urban and industrial areas. Industrial emissions and urban rainwater runoff may further contaminate local waterways with PFAS. Sport fishing is also popular across the state, including in areas inside and near Chicago. More than 666,000 fishing licenses were issued across the state of Illinois in 2020.

The researchers narrowed their research down to the fish in the Pecatonica River, Rock River, Sugar River and Yellow Creek from 2021-22. The team collected dozens of samples from nine species of fish, including bluegill, channel catfish, common carp, northern pike, smallmouth bass and walleye. The fish represented different levels of the food chain, from those that feed only on plants, like bluegill, to those eating other fish, such as channel catfish and northern pike.

Back in the lab, the scientists analyzed fish tissues for 17 PFAS chemicals. They found PFAS-contaminated fish in every river they tested and in every one of their 15 sampling sites. Fish from the Rock River had the highest concentrations of PFAS in their tissues. Contamination levels were highest in channel catfish, at the top of the food chain, and lowest in the plant eaters.

---

Commentary |Hey Taylor; love the music, but please park that private jet

Photo:Omid Armin/Unsplash

---

I spent a decade, like many parents, chauffeuring pre-teen and teenage girls around to a Taylor Swift soundtrack. I learned every Swift song as it was released and sang along to the chorus in the car. I even went to one of her first stadium concerts with my young Swifties.

Congrats, Taylor, for your talent and decades of consistently great songwriting. You deserve all the accolades and rewards. Here’s my one request: Give up your private jet.

Those young fans of yours that I used to shuttle around are now campaigning against climate change. They understand this is the critical decade to shift our trajectory away from fossil fuels and towards clean energy.

And they need you, once again, to sing a new song.

Chuck Collins

I know you’re dealing with a lot of crazy conspiracy theories in right-wing media. In their zeal to denounce you, you even succeeded in getting Fox News to admit that private jet travel contributes to climate change, which is no small feat!

They’ve said a lot of nonsense about you, but that part is true. Private jets emit 10 to 20 times more pollutants per passenger than commercial jets. You know it’s wrong — that’s why you cover your face with an umbrella when you’re disembarking.

Maybe it’s even why you’ve decided to sell one of your jets. Why not the other?

We all have that experience of wishing we could be two places at once. I’ve been on a work trip and wished I could zip home for my daughter’s soccer game. But your private flight from your tour in Tokyo to the Super Bowl burned more carbon than six entire average U.S. households will all year.

Like so many challenges in our country, private jet pollution is increasing alongside inequality. According to a report I co-authored for the Institute for Policy Studies, High Flyers 2023, the number of private jets has grown 133 percent over the last two decades. And just 1 percent of flyers now contribute half of all carbon emissions from aviation.

Should we set off a carbon bomb so the ultra-rich can fly to their vacation destinations? More and more Americans are answering no. In Massachusetts, a grassroots coalition called Stop Private Jet Expansion at Hanscom and Everywhere is calling on the governor to reject an airport expansion that would serve private jets. It could inspire similar fights nationally.

Banning or restricting private jet travel would be one of the easiest paths to reducing emissions if it weren’t a luxury consumed by the most wealthy and powerful people on the planet. But climate advocates are still working to find a way. In Congress, Senator Ed Markey and Rep. Nydia Velazquez have proposed hiking the tax on private jet fuel to make sure private jet users pay the real financial and ecological costs of their luxury travel.

There’s good news, Taylor: A generation of music stars toured without jets, taking the proverbial tour bus. And it sparked a lot of great songs about this amazing land.

Taylor, if you want to be green, stay on the ground. Your fans will love you and the future generations will thank you.

I believe there’s a song there.

---

About the author

Chuck Collins directs the Program on Inequality and co-edits the Inequality.org website at the Institute for Policy Studies. This op-ed was adapted from an earlier version at CommonDreams.org and distributed for syndication by OtherWords.org.

---