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Thursday, March 28, 2024

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Pulling back the curtains on wage-theft enforcement in MN; Trump's latest attack is on RFK, Jr; NM LGBTQ+ equality group endorses 2024 'Rock Star' candidates; Michigan's youth justice reforms: Expanded diversion, no fees.

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Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says rebuilding Baltimore's Key Bridge will be challenging and expensive. An Alabama Democrat flips a state legislature seat and former Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman dies at 82.

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Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

IL: Environment

The Environmental Protection Agency said wetlands' sponge-like ability to absorb water slows the momentum of floodwaters or a coastal storm surge. (Adobe Stock)
Action to save remaining Illinois wetlands gains steam

The Supreme Court's decision in 2023 to roll back the Clean Water Act has meant less federal oversight in protecting the country's wetlands. …

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With a grant award from the Illinois Power Association, the Green Energy Justice Cooperative plans to build community-level solar power projects to cut costs and give low-income and BIPOC neighborhoods a financial stake in the program. (Wikimedia Commons)
IL co-op to develop solar projects for low-income, BIPOC communities

By Lydia Larsen for Inside Climate News.Broadcast version by Mark Richardson for Illinois News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Netwo…

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The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency 2020-2022 report indicates 85% of the state's streams are
IL environmental network creates plan for cleaner waterways

Illinois rivers, lakes and groundwater have become unsafe for humans and wildlife. One organization has started the New Year with a "Clean Water …

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According to the website 'Illinois.gov,' the state has around 29,000 school buses operating as part of public school districts. (Adobe Stock)
Yellow school bus: From energy consumer to energy asset

What started as a school project for students in one Illinois district has led to the successful changeover to more energy efficient school buses…

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A great egret forages for fish in a shallow pond in Marion County, Ill. (Adobe Stock)
IL wetlands at risk in backlash from spring SCOTUS ruling

States like Illinois are dealing with the fallout of a Supreme Court decision made earlier this year. In May, the U.S. Supreme Court effectively …

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Farmers in Illinois and across the country are concerned over whether Congress will complete its work on a new Farm Bill by the end of the current term. (Adobe Stock)
Farm Bill delays could affect food benefits for many Americans

The once-every-five-year Farm Bill will likely be extended to six years this time around, as Congress seems months away from finding a path forward…

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The solar power market in Illinois is valued at $3.7 billion and growing, with a total capital investment in wind, solar, and energy storage projects exceeding $17 billion. (Adobe Stock)
Report: Illinois leads Midwest in building 'clean power' capacity

A new report ranks Illinois first among 11 Midwestern states for the amount of clean power capacity under construction, and second for new clean …

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PFAS, also known as
U.S. House Budget Threats Jeopardize Proposed PFAS Regulations

Environmental groups say a proposal to cut $4 billion from the Environmental Protection Agency budget would gut the regulations designed to clean up t…

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Researchers used
Illinois Environmental Group Seeks Ban on Pesticides Harmful to Bees

An Illinois group reported toxic pesticides are causing irreversible damage to young, developing bees, putting the bee population in decline and food …

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The solar power sector added more than 12,000 workers in 2022. (Adobe Stock)
Report Shows Clean-Energy Job Gains in Illinois

A new look at clean-energy jobs in the U.S. shows growth in Illinois and the prospect of greater gains in the future. The Department of Energy …

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A wetland and marsh area at Chain O' Lakes State Park. Illinois' Interagency Wetland Policy Act of 1989 set a goal of no net loss of wetlands due to projects funded by the state. (GoodFreePhotos.com)
SCOTUS Lands Gut Punch to EPA Wetland Protections

A U.S. Supreme Court decision is shaking up the environmental community in Illinois and across the country. The high court ruled 5-4 on Thursday …

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Illinois is the third-largest consumer of coal in the country, using more than 39 million tons a year to generate electricity. (Wikimedia Commons)
Proposed EPA Rule Limits Toxic Emissions from Coal Plants

The Environmental Protection Agency is tightening rules to limit emissions of mercury and other harmful pollutants from coal-fired power plants…

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