Environmental Resources
Climate and Equitable Jobs Act
The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (SB2408) was signed on September 15th, 2021 and works to address the present and dire issue of climate change. While Illinois is a leader in sustainable technology, we still currently have some of the country’s biggest power plant polluters. We need to protect these jobs but transition to carbon-free emissions, and this bill does that. Some of the main focuses of this bill are protecting consumers, preserving and creating jobs, enabling equitable energy investment, and improving ethical standards across the energy industry. To protect consumers, included in the bill are deposit requirements for low-income residents, and the bill reduces fees for online bill payments. This bill requires the Prairie State and CWLP Dallman coal plants to be carbon-free by 2045, with a significant interim goal by 2035. Another goal of this bill is 1 million electric vehicles in Illinois before the next decade and it provides a revenue-neutral $4000 rebate for consumers. In addition, this bill includes $150 million to directly support workforce development and community transitions as we move to clean energy.
District 41 has many resources available for helping our environment from recycling to solar power. Please contact the below organizations directly for more details on their services, and feel free to contact us if you we can help you navigate any of these resources.
If you know of any other resources we should add, please contact us at info@RepYangRohr.com.
Garbage and Recycling Guidelines
SCARCE made a wonderful pamphlet about what is and is not recyclable. Please check it out here!
SCARCE
SCARCE is a local organization that offers a multitude of educational resources about recycling, composting, and more. They also accept items to be recycled or reused in the community. Please visit them at www.scarce.org.
Conservation Foundation
The Conservation Foundation offers a variety of resources and services. They run the McDonald farm in Naperville where they hold educational programs and showcase examples of sustainability. Visit their website to learn more and explore what they have to offer: www.theconservationfoundation.org
Green Initiatives by City and Park District
Municipalities and park districts have a variety of green initiatives, programs, and resources, many of which are not location specific so check them all out! To learn more about what your city and park district are doing, please visit the following websites:
City of Naperville - www.naperville.il.us/government/environmental-sustainability-in-naperville
Naperville Park District - www.napervilleparks.org/greeninitiatives
City of Warrenville - www.warrenville.il.us/535/EAC-Programs-and-Projects
Warrenville Park District - www.warrenvilleparks.org/about-us/green-initiatives
Bolingbrook Village and Park District - www.bolingbrook.com/electronic_recycling
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Garbage and Recycling Services
Each municipality has its own set of rules and regulations, and offers various other services like electronics recycling. To learn more about your local services, please visit their websites: www.bolingbrook.com/refusecollection (Bolingbrook), www.naperville.il.us/services/garbage-and-recycling (Naperville), and www.warrenville.il.us/803/Garbage-Recycling-Yard-Waste (Warrenville)
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To get a Food Waste Bin, call Groot Industries to order at 630-892-9294. A 65-gallon cart is $185/year and a 95-gallon cart is $225/year. This is currently unavailable in Bolingbrook.
Solar Panels
Solar panels not only save the planet, but can also save you money in the long run. For more information on how to get solar panels, visit www.naperville.il.us/services/electric-utility/powering-our-community-for-the-future/solar-panel-guidelines (Naperville) or www.warrenville.il.us/674/Solar-Power-Information (Warrenville).
Naperville Environment and Sustainability Task Force
NEST is a task force for the City of Naperville working towards clean energy for Naperville. They have many committees ranging from community engagement to natural resources. They are always open to new members. In addition, their website has many other resources available for clean energy for Naperville residents and non-residents. To learn more, visit their website at www.sustainnaperville.org.
Sustainability by County
Both DuPage and Will Counties have a variety of resources available and ongoing projects. These range from education to building ordinances to pollution prevention. To learn more, visit their websites at www.dupagecounty.gov/government/departments/environment_and_sustainability (DuPage) and www.willcountygreen.com (Will).
Environment-related Legislative Highlights
Legislation from 41st District
104th General Assembly
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HB1873 Public right to access and use navigable waters includes all rights recognized by State or federal law, including the Northwest Ordinance of 1787
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HB1875 Bicycles Yield Stop Signs
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HB1876 Creates the Carpet Stewardship Act
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HB2487 Bans the sale of coal tar sealant products labeled as containing coal tar and bans their application on driveways or parking areas
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HB2902 Transparency for Muni/co-op Utilities - Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) requirement
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HB2912 A person may not knowingly release lighter-than-air gas balloons into the atmosphere within a 24-hour period
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HB3029 Provides that a food dispensing establishment may provide single-use foodware only upon request or at a self-service station
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HB3514/SB2314 Authorizes grants and use of funds for the purposes of development management, maintenance, and study of stormwater retention ponds.
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Previous General Assemblies
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HB4895 School climate change education
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HR0084 Encourages Illinois to recycle tires
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HB1385 Creates grants for school districts to purchase electric school buses
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HB1568 Public Access - Navigable Waters (DuPage River access)
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HB2096 Extends Homeowner’s Energy Policy Statement Act to solar on roofs
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HB3923 Bicycles - Stop Signs
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​HB1844 Carbon footprint reports on use of public funds
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SB2408 Rep. Yang Rohr provided input on CEJA
Legislation Passed Into Law
To view the legislative highlights of a specific year, please click on the associated year below.
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HB1605 Provides that a conservation right includes preserving cultural heritage sites.
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HB2409 Must provide written notice to purchasers of firefighting personal protective equipment containing PFAS chemicals.
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HB2516 Creates a list of products that may not sell, offer for sale, or distribute for sale in the State if the product contains intentionally added PFAS.
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SB1723 Creates the Mahomet Aquifer Advisory Study Commission to research and provide a report by 2032.
