Your Calls and Action are Needed

By Joyce Blumenshine

The Illinois Chapter Sierra Club recently listed the following bills as priorities for the current session in Springfield. Clink the links in the bill titles to learn more and to send a quick action alert to your state legislators.

CETA – The Clean and Equitable Transportation Act (CETA HB3778 / SB2486) will invest in public transit, safe and accessible walking and biking infrastructure, and clean vehicles.

CRGA -The Clean and Reliable Grid Act (HB3770 / SB2473) prioritizes commonsense solutions that protect ratepayers from price volatility, bolster our grid with clean energy resources, and requires transparency and energy planning for municipal electric utilities and rural electric cooperatives. 

The Clean and Healthy Buildings Act (HB3525 / SB2269) would have gas utilities establish a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions through a gradual phasing via a Clean Heat Standard for the state. With this, the Illinois Commerce Commission will map the most affordable steps to take to reach the Clean Heat Standard and help people lower their gas bills. Call and/or email your state legislators to support this!

The Disposable (Foam) Food Service Container Act (SB154) will provide a way to put a halt to some of the worst single-use polystyrene plastics: plastic foam cups, containers and other food items with adequate time for a phase out.

Protect the Mahomet Aquifer (HB3614 / SB1723) will establish safeguards for the Mahomet Aquifer, which provides water for over a million people in the center part of Illinois. Large carbon sequestration projects like those being proposed in Macon and Ford Counties present risks that could permanently change the water. CO2 that leaks into the Mahomet Aquifer could form carbonic acid, harming the water chemistry for many uses. Check out the Mahomet Aquifer fact sheet for more information.

To find your state representative and senator, search your address on the Illinois Environmental Council website.