AGP Executive Report

Extreme Heat & Infrastructure: Chicago’s moveable bridges got stuck in the raised position during severe heat, forcing hours of downtown traffic disruption and raising questions about how the city handles thermal expansion. Great Lakes Invasive Species: A federal pause on the Brandon Road invasive carp project near Joliet was lifted after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer contacted President Trump, underscoring the political pressure around protecting Lake Michigan. Severe Weather Record: NOAA confirmed a new Illinois hailstone record—an over-6.6-inch stone near Kankakee—after March supercells produced widespread large-hail reports. Public Health & Heat: A new study links heat waves to roughly 1 in 10 emergency visits during two severe events, with spikes in psychiatric and kidney-related cases. Community Stewardship: Illinois State University’s Center for Civic Engagement is hosting a Sept. 12 9/11 Day “Saturday of Service” with volunteers heading to local sites focused on environmental stewardship, hunger relief, and emergency management. Wildlife Conservation Training: The University of Illinois Extension Master Naturalist program welcomed 12 new volunteers across Bureau, LaSalle, Marshall, and Putnam counties to support native habitat and environmental education.

Public Health: Chicago reported its first West Nile virus death of 2026 and two new human cases, pointing to a rainier-than-usual summer that boosts mosquito breeding. Air Quality Transparency: A new public website, “Our Air Chicago,” turns the city’s sensor network into an interactive map so residents can explore neighborhood air pollution trends and overlay environmental justice data. Infrastructure & Safety: IDOT inspection records show many Chicago River bridges need serious upgrades, including the DuSable Lake Shore Drive bridge being flagged after getting stuck during a heat-related lift. Water Safety: Independent testing found Legionella in about 17% of water samples in NYC outbreak areas, with low chlorine levels raising concerns about prevention. Local Governance: Illinois ISBE awarded Teacher Vacancy Grants to three local districts (Oblong Unit 4, Lawrenceville Unit 20, Red Hill Unit 10) to help address educator shortages. Environment & Waste Innovation: SIU researchers showcased work turning plastic and agricultural waste into edible, protein-rich materials, drawing global attention after a major science meeting in Chicago.

Great Lakes Invasive Species: The U.S. Army Corps abruptly lifted a stop-work order on the Brandon Road Interbasin Project near Joliet, hours after Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer called President Trump—an about-face after invasive carp were found alarmingly close to Lake Michigan. Water Infrastructure: Minnesota is sending $22 million to Duluth to replace more than 700 lead service lines, while Marble gets $3 million for iron and manganese treatment systems—another reminder that clean water upgrades are still urgent across the region. Illinois Public Works Leadership: Lacey promoted Vince McGowan to Public Works Director, citing his background in water resources and environmental protection. Climate Resilience Watch: A new global ranking says Chicago is among the better-prepared cities for climate disasters, highlighting the gap between cities that invest in resilience and those that lag. Microplastics Push: Illinois joined a coalition urging the EPA to add microplastics to its drinking-water monitoring list. Data Center Backlash: A new report finds data center opposition is growing nationwide as states consider tighter rules amid power and environmental concerns. Wildlife Health: Shedd Aquarium reported two more beluga deaths, including one transferred from Marineland, with necropsies underway.

Heat & health: Peoria-area schools are using wet bulb globe temperature checks and IHSA heat rules to decide when practices can’t happen, aiming to prevent heat illness during extreme weather. Local climate impacts: A new report on the Morton Arboretum’s cicada season says it’s “inconclusive” whether the Chicago-area buzz is louder this year, though some residents and naturalists say they’re seeing and hearing more. Energy transition funding: Massac County is moving forward with Illinois’ Energy Transition Community Grant after past closure impacts, with local leaders discussing workforce and clean-energy readiness. Rail pollution concerns: Bridgeport and Chinatown residents are pushing back on a proposed Amtrak maintenance facility near homes, citing 24/7 noise, traffic, air quality worries, and potential property-value impacts. Sustainable buildings: Evanston says 133 large buildings didn’t fully comply with its benchmarking/healthy buildings reporting rules, setting up possible fines. Clean power investment: Aligned Climate Capital reached an initial close on a $500 million distributed solar and storage fund, targeting community and behind-the-meter projects. Arts with green design: Western Illinois University opened its Goldfarb Center for Performing Arts, a LEED Silver project funded with $119 million in state investment.

Climate Extremes in Illinois: A 6.6-inch hailstone that fell in Kankakee earlier this year has been officially confirmed as Illinois’ largest recorded hailstone, after experts measured and reviewed the storm impacts. Forest Protection: A federal judge halted a commercial logging project in Shawnee National Forest, saying the U.S. Forest Service violated the Endangered Species Act when it approved work before the final Indiana bat review. Clean Paint Recycling: PaintCare launched a statewide Illinois program with 370+ drop-off sites so residents can recycle leftover paint and keep it out of landfills. Solar Development Tools: Glint Solar rolled out an AI “Land Screening” tool to help utility-scale solar and storage developers find viable sites faster by factoring in grid, permitting, environmental, and technical constraints. Water Cybersecurity: The federal “Project Watershed 250” pilot aims to help small water utilities defend against hackers by pairing them with cybersecurity support. Grid Reliability Costs: A report highlights how ComEd customers have paid billions for storm hardening, yet outages still hit millions, pushing calls for more grid investment.

Native Species Mystery: Scientists are still searching for Thismia americana, a tiny blue-white Chicago plant first found in 1912 and gone from the wild by 1916, using restoration work and Field Museum collections as a last refuge. Climate Extremes in Illinois: Chicago saw its wettest meteorological summer in eight years, with heavy thunderstorm rain totals well above normal—another reminder that extreme weather is reshaping local conditions. Public Health & Environment: The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District promoted Penny Murphy to environmental health director, overseeing food-safety inspections and other local environmental health work. Heat Risk: A late-season heat wave pushed dangerous heat indices into early September, with officials warning it’s both somewhat unusual and potentially dangerous. Great Lakes Water Fight: The Three Fires Confederacy is calling for a Labor Day water walk across the Mackinac Bridge to raise awareness and push to shut down Enbridge Line 5. Solar for Equity in Illinois: Reactivate and the Obama Foundation announced a community solar partnership aimed at cutting energy bills for low-to-moderate income households and small businesses.

Microplastics Push: Illinois AG Jennifer Davenport urged the EPA to add microplastics to its next nationwide drinking-water testing, saying more data is needed—especially for kids. Public Health Leadership: Champaign-Urbana Public Health District promoted Penny Murphy to environmental health director after Sarah Michaels’ retirement. West Nile Update: Chicago reported two West Nile cases and one death, citing a rainier summer and reminding residents to prevent mosquito bites and standing water. Solar for Renters: New Jersey signed a law enabling balcony solar units, a model that could help more households cut bills while supporting clean energy. Clean Water Monitoring: Davenport also joined other attorneys general pressing for stronger federal action on microplastics. Local Conservation Spotlight: A volunteer paddling cleanup in Iowa removed more than 11 tons of trash from the Little Turkey and Turkey rivers, with most materials recycled. Illinois Stewardship: Illinois Stewardship Alliance honored farmer leaders for soil and water conservation. Wildlife & Habitat: A group called Together for Taft is working to preserve the Lorado Taft Field Campus along the Rock River in Oregon for future outdoor learning.

Transmission Lines & Land Use: Residents in Wisconsin’s Driftless region are pushing back on a proposed second 765-kilovolt line, the BECI project, warning it could harm environmentally sensitive landscapes and may mainly serve data centers. Climate & Public Health: Illinois readers are being reminded that mosquito season typically runs through September, with West Nile still a serious risk. Extreme Weather & Food Timing: Illinois harvest outlook points to early crops but tighter harvest windows, with El Niño-linked wet fall odds raising the chance of rain during key fieldwork. Big Tech & Consumer Costs: California joined a sweeping FTC-and-states lawsuit accusing Amazon of secretly inflating ad auction prices—Illinois is named among affected states. Energy & Grid Planning: A broader debate over grid reliability is playing out as new transmission proposals move toward regulators, while communities question who benefits and who bears the burden.

Great Lakes Protection: The Trump administration has halted work on the Brandon Road Interbasin Project, a $1.15 billion barrier system meant to stop invasive Asian carp from reaching Lake Michigan—after juvenile carp were found closer than ever, prompting lawmakers and environmental groups to urge a restart. Local Water Quality: Lake Decatur’s long fight with phosphorus and nitrogen pollution is getting renewed attention: after being listed as impaired in 1996, the city expanded nutrient and sediment controls, with monitoring showing improving trends but continued work needed to safeguard the drinking-water source. Illinois Climate & Health Risk: A new study links living near dry cleaners to a higher Parkinson’s risk, pointing to long-term exposure to solvents used in the industry and their lingering contamination in soil and water. Community & Nature: Nature At The Confluence in South Beloit will host a Sept. 5 program on the “Brief History of the Reintroduction of Native Americans in Illinois,” including tribal customs, treaties, and environmental concerns. Urban Mixing Research: New research finds city “mixing” happens more through daily destinations than where people live—using travel survey data that includes Chicago.

Illinois Conservation Funding: A central Illinois farm says NRCS tree-planting and soil-protection help it hold onto topsoil against wind and heavy rain—yet the NRCS has lost nearly a quarter of its staff after Trump-era federal workforce cuts, leaving farmers with less conservation support. Microplastics Monitoring: A new method aims to measure how microplastics are released from plastic materials during weathering, giving regulators and researchers a clearer way to track pollution from everyday degradation. TB, Dryness, and Drug Resistance: Research in Nature Microbiology finds that desiccation stress can drive DNA damage and boost rifampin resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, underscoring how harsh environmental conditions can shape treatment outcomes. Wildfire Smoke Health: Oregon’s Josephine County is highlighted as having the highest wildfire-smoke death rate in the U.S. (per a 2025 study), with climate-driven smoke exposure worsening chronic illness risks. PFAS and Local Accountability: Illinois coverage notes a mayor admitting the city fell short in alerting residents about PFAS found in a water well. Power Grid Resilience: A new review examines how wind can trigger electric power interruptions and what risk-mitigation steps can reduce outages.

Illinois Water Quality Restoration: Heartlands Conservancy and partners used Clean Water Act Section 319 funding to stabilize streambanks, restore wetlands and improve instream habitat on Cahokia Creek—helping the creek shed its impaired status after years of erosion and vegetation loss. Extreme Heat Watch: A heat dome is pushing temperatures well above normal across the Mississippi Valley into the mid-Atlantic, with Chicago among areas facing dangerous heat and a heightened storm risk along the dome’s northern edge. Illinois Solar Backlash: A commentary argues Illinois solar farms aren’t viable without tax subsidies, pointing to Effingham’s proposed project as an example of residents effectively paying surcharges that help fund solar development. Outdoor Access: Will County’s Forest Preserve District is bringing back its Woods Walk challenge, with multiple trails across forests, grasslands and wetlands/streams for hikers to earn a medallion. Science & Environment (Global): New research highlights how captivity conditions shape Picasso triggerfish behavior, and another study reports a fiber-optic sensor that can measure underwater pH across the full scale in the field.

PFAS Accountability in Illinois: Chillicothe residents are demanding answers after elevated PFAS were found in a drinking-water well, and they say the city’s notice relied too much on a website link instead of direct outreach. Climate & Resilience Planning: Evanston’s Environment Board signed off on a progress report for its 2018 Climate Action and Resilience Plan, saying the city hit some 2025 targets but fell short on others, with calls for clearer goals and better tracking. Coastal Flood Protection: Boston’s “decision window” is open for a major federal coastal storm risk study that could fund up to 65% of construction—aimed at reducing sea-level and storm-surge damage. Agriculture Policy Pressure: Gov. JB Pritzker and challenger Darren Bailey both faced Illinois Farm Bureau questions on farm headwinds like fertilizer costs, disasters, low prices, and stalled federal farm policy. Wildlife & Health Risks: A new case report highlights how tick infestations can overwhelm captive reptiles, while separate research links dioxin-like PCBs to telomere shortening and cognitive effects in children. Water Pollution Watch: A review of Vietnam’s urban water systems finds emerging contaminants—including antibiotics and PFAS—moving from drains and outfalls toward taps.

Air Pollution & Health: Environmental groups filed a petition with the U.S. EPA to challenge Cleveland-Cliffs’ Burns Harbor air permit, arguing it falls short of Clean Air Act requirements for monitoring, testing, reporting, and required corrective plans—an urgent issue for Northwest Indiana’s already high pollution burden. Great Lakes Water Quality: A Chicago Tribune investigation says microplastics are showing up in Great Lakes drinking water and fish, with few rules in place—raising stakes for the region’s 40 million water users and communities that rely on fish. Farm Runoff Fixes: USDA field pilots found nitrate-removing bioreactors work faster when woodchips are largely replaced with corn cobs, removing nitrate up to 10 times faster in some setups—potentially a practical Midwest upgrade. Climate Extremes & Storms: New research suggests tornado-fueling conditions may shift north and east late this century, potentially expanding risk across the Midwest, Great Lakes, and parts of the Northeast, including Illinois. Pollution’s Hidden Cost: A massive study of marathon results links higher race-day nitrogen dioxide to slower finish times, showing dirty air can quietly take minutes from runners.

Illinois Environment & Health: A new study links climate and land use to how bacterial diversity and nitrogen cycling develop in headwater sediments, with implications for water quality monitoring. Public Health & Wildlife: Illinois experts warn that life-threatening tick allergy cases are rising, while separate research shows ticks can rely on maternal haem reserves and gut enzymes—pointing to new ways to target tick survival. Space & Waste: SIU Carbondale researchers say they’ve turned plastic and agricultural waste into protein-rich cookies using genetically programmed yeast, aiming to tackle both food security and plastic waste. Energy & Air/Water Tech: Illinois EPA is offering $766,600 for public building energy efficiency, and a separate report highlights how data center energy use is raising reliability and cost concerns. Local Governance & Pollution Risk: Chicago records show officials raised concerns about South Chicago Chapel nearly a year before decomposing bodies were found, underscoring how odor and safety complaints can be missed.

Great Lakes Invasive Species: Great Lakes groups are urging the Trump administration to lift a stop work order on the Brandon Road barrier after juvenile invasive carp were found about 80 miles from Lake Michigan, warning the fish could spread and disrupt the region’s ecosystems and economy. Illinois Agriculture & Weeds: Purdue weed scientists say waterhemp resistance to group 15 “bleaching” herbicides and 2,4-D is rising across the Midwest, including Illinois, and could spread through seed corn and affect corn and soybean acres. Illinois Plant Disease Watch: A Purdue Extension pathologist is asking growers to scout for red crown rot in soybean fields and submit samples; she says the disease could spread via soil and debris movement and may resemble sudden death syndrome. Environmental Health & Consumer Labels: Illinois is among states pushing diaper ingredient disclosure; California’s new law requires full ingredient disclosure and labeling timelines, citing concerns about hormone disruption and nervous system effects. Sustainability in Packaging: Archroma Packaging Technologies will introduce a higher-solids, lower-energy pressure-sensitive adhesive in Chicago, aiming to cut water evaporation and reduce carbon footprint. Local Conservation: Illinois State University’s Logarium turns felled tree limbs into a living garden, supporting fungi and biodiversity instead of chipping everything away. Data Centers Pressure: A new national look at data center opposition highlights rising community resistance tied to power, water, and infrastructure limits—an issue Illinois communities are also grappling with.

Extreme Heat & Schools: A new push argues districts need real plans for extreme heat as hotter schooldays arrive earlier and last longer, with impacts on kids’ learning and health. Local Environment Education: University of Illinois Extension’s “Everyday Environment” offers free webinars on nature-based solutions and community science. Illinois Climate & Health Research: A Chicago-area study links year-to-year tree canopy gains with lower mortality, while another PFAS analysis finds newer “forever chemical” compounds in Canadian blood—raising the stakes for broader monitoring. Clean Materials & Waste: NASA-funded work shows engineered yeast can turn plastic and farm waste into protein-rich cookies; separate research points to chlorine-free processing for cellulose nanofibers from sugar beet pulp. Water & Pollution Tech: A new approach uses drone imagery to spot trash and tires tied to mosquito breeding, and another study reports fast photocatalytic removal of a stubborn dye pollutant. Local Governance/Transit: Illinois senators press Amtrak for more transparency on a Bridgeport maintenance facility plan, citing noise, safety, and traffic concerns.