Environmental Policy 2018 Threats, Opportunities, and How We Can Make a Difference

1. Environmental Policy 2018Threats, Opportunities, and How We Can Make a Difference Jen Walling Illinois Environmental Council

2. Protecting Illinois’ Environment The Illinois Environmental Council has served as the eyes, ears, and voice of the environmental community in Springfield since 1975.

3. What Does IEC Do? www.ilenviro.org • Track up to 250 bills a year that impact the environment. • Environmental News. • Coordinate eighty different environmental organizations, including lobbying activity and membership coordination. • Build relationships with legislators. • Release environmental scorecard for state legislators.

4. Threats • Eliminated the stream protection rule for coal mining. • Repealed Waters of the United States Rule • Rollback of methane waste/flaring rule • Issued a memorandum expediting the Keystone XL Pipeline, • Expected to sign an executive order designed to repeal the Clean Power Plan. • Issued a memorandum directing the secretary of the Army to "review and approve in an expedited manner" the Dakota Access Pipeline • Implemented a hiring freeze on the EPA and temporarily froze billions of dollars of grants from the Environmental Protection Agency.

5. People are strongly on the side of protecting the environment. • Land Privatization? – • Conservation Voters of the West - Voters still reject both • giving state government control of national public lands 33-58 • Selling public lands 26-60 • Economy vs. Environment? • According to a survey by the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute in Illinois of one thousand registered voters completed in October 2016, 64% ranked the environment as a more important issue than economic growth. • Local Food? • 60% of people are less likely to buy food that they know causes pollution. 70% would not want to live within ½ mile of a large livestock operation. • Climate Change? • Yale Climate Opinion Model – 70% of Illinoisans believe climate change is happening. 58% are worried.

6. Future Energy Jobs bill • Illinois will reduce its carbon emissions by more than 50 percent from 2012 levels by 2030. • Approximately 70% of the funds from the overall legislation will focus on kick starting clean energy. •  The bill will invest more than $750 million in programs for low-income communities. • “Illinois Solar for All,” will help low-income customers, nonprofits, and community centers access rooftop solar and community solar. • Community Solar • Jobs training programs

7. Water – Lead in Drinking Water • Requires testing at schools and child care centers for lead; • Increases parental notification when lead has been found; • Expands notification in residential areas when construction near water mains may spike lead levels, and; • Mandate water suppliers compile an inventory of residential lead service lines so that we know where they are and can replace them.

8. Conservation and Protecting Wildlife • HB5293 - Endangered Species Protection Rollback:  IEC and our partners successfully defeated HB5293, a bill that would have weakened the Endangered Species Protection Board (ESPB). This bad proposal would have altered the composition of the ESPB, and removed all state authority to oversee the conservation of federally endangered species. This is a great victory for conservation! Was not called for a vote. • SB3214 - Solar Pollinator Certification (Sen. Jason Barickman/Rep. Tom Bennett): Encourages pollinator-friendly solar fields, which will incentivize habitat conservation. Passed both chambers.

9. Clean Energy Growth SB2773 - Renewable Financing (Rep. Lou Lang/ Sen. Pam Althoff): Enhances the pace program by allowing the Illinois Finance Authority to help communities access funds for clean energy and energy efficiency projects. Passed both chambers. SB486 - Solar Property Tax Standardization (Sen. Don Harmon/ Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie): Provides a standardized assessment value and depreciation schedule for ground-mounted commercial solar energy systems. This legislation will help provide millions of dollars in new tax revenue to rural communities. Passed both chambers. HB4236 - Clean Coal: IEC and our partners successfully prevented a “clean coal” bill from passing this session.  This bill would have required ratepayers statewide to subsidize an unbuilt, unnecessary coal plant near Mattoon.  Was not called for a vote.

10. Local Food • SB2606 - Food Donation Policy (Sen. John Curran/Rep. Carol Sente): Provides that state agencies have a policy in place to donate leftover food, and possible organizations and pantries where leftover food can be donated. We want to thank freshman Senator John Curran for carrying this as his first piece of legislation, and Representative Carol Sente for continuing to advocate on these issues.  Passed both chambers. • HB3418- Urban Agricultural Areas  (Rep. Sonya Harper/Sen. Mattie Hunter): Working with Openlands, Advocates for Urban Agriculture, and the Chicago Food Policy Action Council, IEC passed this legislation to break down barriers for urban growers. The bill identifies incentives that local governments may extend to farmers through creation of urban agricultural areas. Passed both chambers. • SB2298 - Industrial Hemp (Sen. Toi Hutchinson/Rep. Tim Butler): IEC and our partners at Illinois Stewardship Alliance have worked on this important initiative for sustainable agriculture for several years. With bipartisan sponsorship and support from the Illinois Farm Bureau, this bill will bring new opportunities to Illinois farmers, and can help provide benefits to soil. Passed both chambers.

11. Local Food • HB4234 - Socially Disadvantaged Farmers (Rep. Sonya Harper/Sen. Mattie Hunter): Helps socially disadvantaged farmers by having the Department of Agriculture provide information on programs and opportunities that could benefit these farmers and break down the challenges they face. Passed both chambers. • SB457 - Cottage Food Expansion (Rep. Will Guzzardi/Sen. Dave Koehler): Our continued work on cottage food laws led to an expansion of the Food Freedom Act this year. Working with Illinois Stewardship Alliance, this bill will clarify rules around home canning of tomatoes. Passed both chambers. • HB4568 - Healthy Local Food Incentives (Rep. Tim Butler/Sen. Don Harmon): Extends the current “farmers’ market SNAP match” program, which promotes and helps expands the local economy and food system, while also encouraging healthier lifestyles for all. Passed both chambers.

12. Waste • HB4790 - Increase Compost Use (Rep. Carol Sente/Sen. Dave Koehler): Increases the use of compost in transportation projects at the state, and helps create a market for the use of compost in Illinois. Thank you to our partners at the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County and the Illinois Food Scrap Coalition for working on this bill. Passed both chambers. • HB5198 - Plastic Burning: Would have given a permit exemption to facilities that convert waste plastics to fuel, despite the fact that burning plastics can release dioxins and other contaminants.  This bill passed narrowly in the House, but our advocacy helped stop this bill from passing this year. Was not called for a vote.

13. Water QUality • Water Quality • HB5741- Emerging Chemicals of Concern (Sen. Julie Morrisson/Rep. Robyn Gabel): An initiative sponsored by Green Caucus Chairwoman Representative Robyn Gabel, this bill requires assessment of treatment technologies for reducing and removing certain pollutants from wastewater treatment facilities. Passed both chambers. • SR1600 - Foxconn Opposition (Senator Melinda Bush): This resolution expresses significant concerns over the environmental waivers granted by the State of Wisconsin and the U.S. EPA for the Foxconn facility. It also states that Illinois would not waive similar protections simply to incite business. Resolution Adopted.

14. Clean Water • Support HB5044 (Unes) /SB3080 (Steans) • It is estimated that ¼ of all lead service lines in the country are are found here in Illinois. The threat of lead in drinking water is significant, and disproportionately impacts children.  Yet as Flint Michigan highlighted, our water infrastructure to protect against these threats is largely decaying. Communities across illinois must take steps to account for these lines and plan for their replacement. ​This bill would require municipalities and private water utilities to replace all lead service lines in 10 years, with a focus on high priority areas and sound water infrastructure practices. In addition, this bill balances the costs to consumers by addressing water loss. Leaking pipes throughout Illinois are costing consumers substantial money. This bill also establishes protections for low income water ratepayers. • Protections for Floodplain Communities • HB5130 Jay Hoffman- Levee Regulation-This bill will prevent a roll back of Illinois’ strong floodplain program that protects people, property and the environment.  By preserving the ‘worst case scenario’ analysis and maintaining the strong regulations already in place, this bill will prevent more unlawful levee heightening and increased flood risk for communities.

15. Environmental Enforcement • SB3156 - Compliance Agreements (Sen. Omar Aquino/Rep. Christian Mitchell): Increases transparency around violators of environmental regulation, by requiring IEPA to publicly post Compliance Commitment Agreements. An important measure for public awareness of enforcement actions. Passed both chambers.

16. Budget! - IDNR • The operating of budget for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources increases the FY19 budget 6.7% compared to FY18.  Highlights of this budget include: • $29 million from FY19 and the reappropriation of $27.6 million from FY18 for the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development program, which funds park infrastructure. • $29.3 million from the Natural Areas Acquisition Fund for acquisition, preservation, and stewardship of natural areas.   • The budget also includes an additional $1 million from NAAF to fund the new land trust stewardship program, complete with the ability to match a federal stewardship program. • $500,000 in consultation fees to spend the Wildlife Preservation funds, which fund small habitat grants in critical areas of the state, funded through the check off donation box on your Illinois tax form. • Funding for 20 new Conservation Police Officers. • Level funding for the Illinois State Museum, Dixon Mounds, and Lockport museums.

17. Budget! IDNR • The IDNR capital budget is even more exciting. One major highlight is the $37 million allocated towards the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, which awards funding to farmers to enter important acres into conservation. Illinois has not used this program since 2006. This $37 million will bring $160 million in funding from the federal government to Illinois, depending on the match rate in the still-pending Farm Bill. The popular program will provide new habitat, filter nutrient pollution through buffers to rivers and streams, and protect Illinois' soil health.  While it will take a while to build this program back up, it was a surprise - even to IDNR - that this ended up in the budget. The IDNR capital budget also includes: • $32 million of Open Lands Trust capital dollars for land acquisition of important natural areas. • $4 million of funding from the Great Lakes Initiative. • $62 million of capital money for state park construction projects. • $32 million for dam improvement, including removal. • $2.6 million of allocations from the recreational trails program. • $20 million for bike paths.

18. Renewable Energy • $50 million is appropriated from the Renewable Energy Resources Fund to support the Illinois Solar for All program, protecting this fund from future sweeps. The Illinois Power Agency is also fully funded. • The Renewable Energy Resources Trust Fund, which was formerly used for solar rebates, has been partially appropriated for job training at community colleges through the Illinois Green Economy Network, and partially appropriated to lead testing. • The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which helps economically disadvantaged communities, is fully funded at $580 million.

19. SWCD • Soil and Water Conservation programs were funded at $7.5 million. This is $6 million less than in the budget for FY18, but $2.5 million more than the SWCD programs actually were paid out from the FY18 budget. While this is a workable level for FY19, we will continue to advocate to bring back the grant programs offered by Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

20. IEPA/IDPH • The Solid Waste Management Fund is appropriated at $13.1 million, which is equal to its FY18 funding. This includes $750,000 for programs related to electronics recycling.  This is far lower than the combined funds available to DCEO and IEPA programs in previous years • $20 million is appropriated from the VW settlement trust.   • $15 million to the Comprehensive Lead Education, Reduction, and Window Replacement Act (CLEAR-WIN) which will fund the removal of lead paint and plumbing hazards in homes of low-income children. • Additionally there is $50 million to the School Construction Fund to help schools pay for lead abatement projects.

21. Contact info • Ilenviro.org • Jen Walling • jwalling@ilenviro.org • 217-493-9455