Illinois took two big steps forward for climate action during this October’s “veto session,”as the General Assembly passed clean energy and transportation legislation. The Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA) Act provides both the operating resources and oversight reform needed to provide seamless, safe, and reliable public transit across the region. The Clean and Reliable Grid Act (CRGA) protects consumers and strengthens the state’s power grid.
Transportation and energy are the leading sources of climate change in Illinois, so we applaud the state taking action to mitigate their effects. More importantly, as cost of living is on the rise, these bills help protect affordable energy and transportation options for everyday Illinoisans. ELPC joined partners from across the state to advance this legislation in Springfield, and we look forward to supporting the agencies and leaders as we move towards effective implementation. |
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Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) issued its final decision setting a new general permit for concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). After years of debate and legal challenges, including ELPC arguing in front of the Michigan Supreme Court, the new permit is a significant step in the right direction toward improving water quality in the state. |
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In 2023, the Public Utility Commission of Ohio approved a major hike to Columbia Gas’s fixed monthly charges. ELPC challenged the decision, and this month argued the case before the Ohio Supreme Court, noting it fails to serve ratepayers and the public interest. Raising fixed charges disproportionately harms low-income households that typically use less gas, while also undermining energy-saving programs that help customers cut costs. |
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Consumers Energy is planning to sell 13 aging Michigan dams to a private equity firm for $1 apiece, prompting concerns about the long-term future of these highly valuable shoreline properties and ratepayers’ electric bills. We are actively looking into this on behalf of the public interest. |
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The Shawnee National Forest Conservation Act, sponsored by Senators Durbin and Duckworth, passed out of the Senate Agriculture Committee this month on a bipartisan basis, moving it on to the full Senate. The bill would increase protections to three of the largest uninterrupted areas of the forest, establishing a new Wilderness Area and three Special Management Areas. |
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ELPC Thinks: Clean Energy and the Data Center Dilemma |
The 2025-26 U.S. Supreme Court term has just started. What can we expect from the Court on the environment?
Watch this timely ELPC Thinks webinar exploring the legal questions, potential impacts, and what these decisions could mean for environmental protections nationwide. |
ELPC Thinks: The U.S. Supreme Court & the Environment |
Data centers have arrived in the Midwest. Will the AI boom derail – or drive – our clean energy goals? Watch ELPC experts Brad Klein and Saad Siddique for a conversation about the Midwest data center landscape, its impact on our clean energy goals, and what utilities, communities, and policymakers can do to keep the Midwest on track for a clean energy future. |
Save the Date: ELPC 2026 Gala |
Join us! Date: Friday, June 5, 2026
Time: 5:30 – 8:30 PM CT
Location: Offshore Rooftop, Navy Pier, Chicago |
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We're all in to protect the Midwest environment |
Founded in 1993, the Environmental Law & Policy Center is the Midwest's leading environmental legal advocacy organization. We advocate, innovate, and litigate to protect the Midwest's environment from the Great Lakes to the Great Plains. |
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ELPC
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Chicago, IL 60601
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