How The Climate In Springfield Hurts Our Environment

Jack Darin — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 08:26:50 -0700

In the weeks since the adjournment, at least temporarily, of the General Assembly's spring session, I have been thinking a lot about how the dysfunction under the dome has dragged down the environmental agenda.

In recent years, Illinois' environmental community has had an impressive run of big legislative victories on some of the major policy questions of our time. In 2007, the electric rate relief package included some of the strongest clean energy provisions of any state -- as a result, 25 percent of household electricity will come from wind in the future and ComEd and Ameren are busy getting ready to roll out major new energy conservation programs. We've required a 90 percent reduction in mercury from our coal plants, and banned mercury in car parts, thermometers, and other products. We got nearly all of the phosphorus, which causes nasty algae blooms in our rivers and lakes, out of dishwashing detergent. Illinois ratified the Great Lakes Compact, to protect Lake Michigan from being drained by thirsts outside the region. We passed the nation's first Cool Cities Act, to give state support to mayors fighting climate change at the local level. We have new champions in all four caucuses of the General Assembly, and are more active than ever in electing new leaders across the state.

Given all this, we set our sights high for 2008, and launched ambitious campaigns to fight global warming, protect open space, and clean up toxins. As the dust settles on this spring's legislative session, none of these initiatives crossed the finish line, despite heroic efforts by many.

So what happened?

While the Capitol’s green engine is building steam, the wheels have fallen off the rest of the train. Unfortunately, no amount of strength or smarts by advocates or individual legislators was enough to pull some very bright ideas through some very dark, deep tunnels.

State Rep. Karen May (D-Highland Park) and a hardy band of champions are leading the drive to make Illinois the 15th “Clean Car State.” Her legislation to require cleaner versions of the cars we now drive would reduce asthma rates and save Illinois over $1 billion every year at the pump. A statewide poll conducted May 22nd found that 90 percent of state residents back the bill. And the support came from all corners of Illinois - downstate, collar county, and Chicago residents all want cleaner cars.

Yet, the auto industry still clings to their failed business strategy of refusing to make and sell the clean cars that more and more Americans want to buy. They waged a campaign of misinformation against the proposal, and the session expired before Rep. May could bring the bill up for a full vote in the House. Despite being supported by nine out of ten Illinoisans, the measure will have to wait.

The passage of a state capital infrastructure bill also has the potential to be a major source of funding for environmental initiatives. The version of the Illinois Works proposal unveiled at the start of the session's final week contained no funding for open space protection, and was weighted towards roads rather than mass transit. By the end of the session's final week, thanks to hard work by House Republicans like Tom Cross and Beth Coulson, and by House Democrats Julie Hamos, Elaine Nekritz, and Karen May, the plan was amended to include $200 million in open space funding (substantially less than is needed over the life of the plan, but it was a start).

Nonetheless, after the package cleared the Senate, it died in the House as key funding mechanisms for the package were rejected.

Meanwhile, State Sen. Susan Garrett (D-Lake Forest) has worked for two years to come up with a plan to require recycling of computers and electronic waste in Illinois. After countless hours of negotiations with computer and electronics manufacturers and advocates from the Environmental Law and Policy Center, Garrett came up with legislation agreed to by most parties. It passed both chambers of the General Assembly, but failed to become law as the clock ran out before the Senate could give their approval to a House amendment.

Several proposals to better protect our health from dangerous toxins got stuck in the mire. The chemical industry killed proposals to ban a few of the most dangerous toxins from some of the products we buy. A bill to require labeling of baby toys that contain brain-damaging lead failed, as did an effort to take mercury out of cosmetic products. While Illinoisans are embracing ways to detox their homes, Springfield resists them, even after Environment Illinois brought a detection tool to the capitol to show legislators all the unnecessary toxins found right in their offices.

Maybe that explains a few things?

We have some very bright, hard-working champions in office and an agenda with broad, growing public support. Yet that wasn't enough in this difficult year. So what's an advocate to do now?

This November's election is going to be about change. We have a chance to harness the electorate’s energy to break the Springfield logjam by putting more environmental champions in office. We need to help our friends who work so hard under such difficult circumstances, and bring in reinforcements next year to strengthen the bipartisan team of environmental leaders. Then we can get back to the business of making Illinois a model for America to follow.

Jack Darin is director of the Sierra Club's Illinois chapter. A version of this column originally appeared on the Illinois Sierra Club's blog.