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This Month
Across the Midwest
February 2026 Newsletter
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New Lakefront Park to Replace Toxic Dump [[link removed]]
Watch the story of our victory on behalf of clients Alliance of the Southeast and Friends of the Parks to stop a 25-foot-high toxic waste dump on the shore of Lake Michigan on Chicago’s Southeast side. That toxic dump will now become a new park for all to enjoy. This victory shows how ELPC works from start to finish.
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Federal Defense & Local Offense for Clean Water [[link removed]]
Recent news on the federal side is challenging, but we don’t back down from a fight. The Trump EPA is working to undo several longstanding water protections. By changing the definition of “ Waters of the United States [[link removed]] ,” many waterways and wetlands would no longer be protected under federal law. Rolling back Section 401 [[link removed]] of the Clean Water Act would undercut state authority to review and veto federal projects that harm water quality, limiting public accountability and shifting power away from local communities facing pollution. ELPC and our partners are fighting back in testimony, coalition efforts, and legal action to protect clean water.
That makes our state work more important than ever! We're advocating for new Illinois wetlands legislation [[link removed]] to fill the gaps created at the federal level. After the first Trump administration attempted to zero-out funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), ELPC and partners stepped up to build bipartisan support. This year, GLRI legislation moving through Congress should provide full funding.
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[[link removed]] Clean Energy [[link removed]]
[[link removed]] Challenging Unlawful Coal Plant Extensions in Indiana [[link removed]]
[[link removed]] After the Trump administration’s Department of Energy forced Indiana coal plants to stay open past their planned retirements, at great cost, ELPC and partners took them to court. This is part of Donald Trump’s attempt to bolster the flailing coal industry at the expense of everyday customers.
[[link removed]] The Case for Grid-Friendly Data Centers in Illinois [[link removed]]
[[link removed]] The explosive growth of data centers is transforming the Midwest energy sector. We’re fighting to make sure they pay their fair share and help drive clean energy investment. The Illinois Commerce Commission is weighing changes to ComEd’s rate structure, while lawmakers are drafting legislation to establish long-term rules. Together, these decisions will shape Illinois’ clean energy goals, grid reliability, and electricity costs for years to come.
[[link removed]] Wild & Natural Places [[link removed]]
[[link removed]] Bipartisan Bill To Protect and Restore the Driftless Area [[link removed]]
[[link removed]] The four-state Driftless Area is the Midwest’s most biologically rich landscape, containing the largest continuous fish and wildlife habitat in the region. Congresswoman Ashley Hinson (IA-02) and Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17) have reintroduced bipartisan legislation aimed at preserving and restoring the area, which spans parts of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.
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ELPC Thinks: Reimagining Chicago’s Intercity Bus Station
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[[link removed]] News Roundup [[link removed]]
* ELPC Blog : 500 Claims, Fewer Protections: Why EPA’s “Accomplishments” Don’t Add Up for Clean Water, Clean Air, or Public Health [[link removed]]
* Chicago Tribune : Stricter Ballast Rules on Freighters Demanded to Protect Great Lakes from Invasive Species [[link removed]]
* ELPC Blog : Homegrown Solar Energy Strengthens Rural America [[link removed]]
* Canary Media : Wisconsin Debates How to Pay for the Power-Hungry AI Boom [[link removed]]
* Crain’s Grand Rapids Business : Michigan’s Clean Energy Goals May Clash with Power-Hungry Data Centers [[link removed]]
* Petoskey News-Review : ELPC Report: Great Lakes Region on Track to Experience Extreme Weather, Shrinking Fish Populations [[link removed]]
* ELPC Blog : Ottawa National Forest Proposes Massive Logging Project [[link removed]]
* E&E News : How the Latest Train Merger Could Snarl Climate Goals [[link removed]]
* UtilityDive : Xcel Defends Storage Ownership in Distributed Capacity Pilot [[link removed]]
* Sentient : The Paperwork Trick Letting Factory Farms Pollute with Impunity [[link removed]]
* Columbus Dispatch : Meta Advancing Nuclear Power for Data Centers Across Ohio [[link removed]]
* ELPC Blog: Rolling Back Fuel Economy Standards Is a Step Backward [[link removed]]
* ELPC Blog : EPA Proposal Would Allow Coal Ash Contamination to Continue Polluting Groundwater [[link removed]]
* Akron Beacon Journal Opinion : Rolling Back Fuel Efficiency Standards to Cost Ohioans More [[link removed]]
* Chicago Tribune : Illinois Bets on Virtual Power Plants to Ease Electric Grid Strain and Costs [[link removed]]
* Des Moines Register : Letter to the Editor: Senators Should Resist PERMIT Act for Iowa’s Sake [[link removed]]
* Northwest Indiana Times : Environmental Groups Sue Over Steel Mill Coke Oven Regulations Being Relaxed [[link removed]]
* ELPC Blog : PERMIT Act: House Votes to Severely Weaken Clean Water Act [[link removed]]
* Michigan Advance : Public Service Commission Approves DTE Data Center Contracts – with Strings Attached [[link removed]]
* Milwaukee Journal Sentinel : New Bill Would Gut Protections of Clean Water Act in Name of Growth [[link removed]]
* Post-Tribune : Concerns Raised About Michigan City Data Center at IDEM Meeting [[link removed]]
* Inside Climate News : Bill Ensuring Active Management of Shawnee National Forest Clears Senate Committee [[link removed]]
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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
35 E Wacker Dr 1600
Chicago, IL 60601
United States
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