AGP Executive Report

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.

Data Center Transparency: New Jersey’s governor signed a bill requiring data center operators to report total and peak daily water use plus energy use to the state utility board, with the information then made public—aimed at stopping “shadow” development and pushing community benefits. Illinois Data Center Pressure: In northwest Illinois, Stephenson County is weighing a six-month moratorium on new data centers while officials update zoning, with local worries centered on electricity and water demand; nearby communities are also debating similar proposals. Grid & Land Impacts: Residents in Jefferson, Wisconsin packed a meeting on the proposed BECI 765-kilovolt transmission line, a roughly $1.2 billion project meant to boost Midwest reliability, while people pressed for route choices with less environmental and community impact. Air & Health: Illinois EPA is offering $766,600 for public building energy-efficiency projects, part of broader efforts to cut pollution tied to building energy use. Extreme Heat: New reporting highlights how extreme heat is driving a wide range of medical emergencies, with Chicago ERs seeing impacts beyond the obvious.

Data & Water: A new Ceres report says electricity for data centers is driving about 3.4 trillion gallons of freshwater use each year in seven key states, including Illinois—much of it tied to power-plant water needs in drought-stressed regions. Pollution Policy: A hard-won EPA rule to cut chemical plant pollution (the HON rule) is being unraveled as Biden-era air toxics protections face rescission or reconsideration. Public Health & Heat: A Chicago-based study links extreme heat to more than 30 diagnoses, including under-recognized conditions, using emergency and urgent care visits from 2011–2023. Clean Water Infrastructure: Hinsdale trustees are moving toward a plan to replace lead service lines, with the village covering the main-to-box cost and homeowners paying the box-to-home portion (with help). Community & Nature: UT Arboretum’s butterfly festival returns Saturday, with kids’ activities and habitat education—plus local bird-migration coverage that includes mercury monitoring in birds and humans. Plastic-to-Food Research: SIU researchers report engineered yeast that can turn plastic and crop waste into protein-rich 3D-printed cookies for future emergency rations.

Severe Weather: Illinois shattered its 2026 tornado record, topping 200 tornadoes statewide after an especially active year that’s included major outbreaks in February, March, April, and June, with another 15 recorded so far in August. Extreme Heat & Health: New Northwestern research using Chicago ER and urgent care records finds heat waves (92.6°F+) drive spikes in a wide range of injuries and illnesses, including kidney problems, skin issues, and even violence-related injuries—showing heat’s toll goes far beyond heatstroke. Local Power Concerns: More than 50 county residents packed a meeting to oppose a proposed 765-kilovolt transmission line, warning it would cut through farms and raise environmental and historical impacts. Clean Energy Buildout: Dimension Energy secured $857 million to expand distributed solar, including a portfolio of projects totaling 149 MW across Illinois and several other states. Sustainable Freight: Einride says it will deploy 500 Tesla Semi trucks across North America, with routes including Illinois, aiming to scale electric freight along major corridors. Energy Efficiency in Illinois: Illinois launched energy efficiency grants for public buildings, targeting upgrades that can cut costs while improving performance.

Illinois Coal Phaseout: Illinois’ Climate and Equitable Jobs Act requires all coal plants to close by 2045, putting the future of the Prairie State Energy Campus in Marissa under a hard deadline; environmental groups point to pollution and public health risks as the case for closure. Energy Efficiency Grants: The Illinois EPA opened applications for the Efficient and Resilient Public Buildings Grant Program, offering $50,000–$200,000 for county and municipal facility upgrades like insulation, lighting, HVAC retrofits, and backup power transfer switches. Data Centers and Power Demand: A Chicago-based research firm estimates Southeast Asia data-center investment could more than double to $35.08B by 2031, driven by cloud and AI—an echo of the power-and-water pressure Illinois communities are already debating. Local Conservation Fundraiser: Prairie Land Conservancy is hosting a Sept. 26 fundraising dinner in Macomb to build a stewardship facility supporting prairies, woodlands, and wildlife habitat across west-central Illinois. Plastic-to-Food Research: SIU Carbondale researchers report 3D-printed, protein-rich cookies made from genetically engineered yeast that converts plastic and crop waste into edible nutrients.

Pipeline & Air Quality: Enbridge’s Line 5 in far northeastern Wisconsin appears to have leaked gas after a vehicle rolled into an open excavation and struck a natural-gas transmission line; the state DNR says the discharge was reported to its spills hotline, raising fresh Great Lakes pipeline safety questions. Power Outages: Two weeks after major storms, thousands remain without electricity in Northwest Indiana, with Gary and Portage among the hardest hit—prompting calls for stronger utility preparedness and faster restoration. Water Infrastructure: DuPage and Cook-area leaders unveiled a $6B Lake Michigan Regional Water Supply Initiative that would shift control of water supply toward suburban agencies, while Chicago officials warn it could require state action and major permitting. Illinois Climate Tech: Emerald AI, backed by major investors, says its software can reduce data-center power strain by scheduling computing work around grid stress—an efficiency push tied directly to emissions and reliability. Local Learning: East Alton’s National Great Rivers Research and Education Center wrapped up Waterschool USA, using hands-on water science and wildlife fieldwork to build student stewardship across the Mississippi River watershed. Biodiversity Spotlight: Field Museum scientists named a newly discovered New Guinea snake after Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash, highlighting ongoing species discovery in threatened habitats.

Power Restoration Crisis: Thousands in Gary, Indiana are still without electricity nearly two weeks after the Aug. 11 storm, with residents and officials calling delays “unacceptable” as outages disrupt families and businesses. Energy Infrastructure in Illinois: ComEd is asking DeKalb to annex 160 acres for a new substation to expand energy capacity for growing industry, with a public hearing and votes expected. Mining & Climate Fight: Sierra Club is condemning TVA’s approval process for a major Illinois coal mining expansion tied to Sugar Camp mineral rights, arguing it will extend damaging underground mining. Air & Wildlife Watch: A Joro spider—an invasive species—has been spotted in Oklahoma, raising the stakes for monitoring in the Midwest. Agriculture & Exports: Soy buyers from several countries toured an Illinois farm as part of the Soy Connext conference, underscoring global demand and local farming changes. Local Environment Planning: Illinois River wetlands are set to benefit from an ethanol plant pollution settlement, aiming to offset harm from past discharges.

Illinois River Cleanup Deal: Prairie Rivers Network says an eight-year fight over pollution from Alto Pekin’s ethanol refinery on the Illinois River is ending with a $75,000 civil penalty and a $125,000 wetland restoration project, including work at Emiquon National Wildlife Refuge to better mimic natural flood pulses. Wildlife & Roads: SIU-Carbondale and IDOT are partnering on a 10-year, $40 million Roadside Ecology Center to reduce impacts of transportation projects on wildlife and ecosystems in southern Illinois. Chicago River Infrastructure: CDOT says the Cortland Street Bridge over the North Branch will stay closed for years after assessments found it can’t safely carry vehicles, with cyclists and pedestrians still able to pass. Biodiversity Research: A study comparing Bermuda feral chickens with Illinois broiler chickens finds feral birds may have hardier immune systems, offering clues for managing wildlife and disease risk. Energy Policy Watch: Ethanol blending credit prices (D6 RINs) fell to the lowest level in four months after the EPA extended a September 1 compliance deadline and will decide small refinery exemptions by end of August.

Severe Weather in Illinois: Illinois is shattering tornado records, with about 210 twisters confirmed so far and experts pointing to a major shift in global weather patterns plus better detection. Midwest Flooding & Crop Risk: Mid-August storms dumped up to 12 inches in parts of Illinois and Indiana, lodging corn and leaving yield prospects uncertain as farmers assess saturated fields. Power Outages in Indiana: Nearly two weeks after an Aug. 11 derecho, thousands in Gary and surrounding areas still lack electricity, with residents and officials criticizing slow restoration and urging faster help. Data Centers & Water Use: A new look at national water use highlights how data centers draw heavily for cooling, even as overall water use trends can move in the right direction. Microplastics Push in the Great Lakes: Scientists are urging stronger government action as microplastics spread through the region’s waters. Local Conservation: A Northern Metropolis eco-tourism plan in Hong Kong aims to protect wildlife along a coastline, but it’s built on former fish farms and wetlands—raising habitat concerns. Illinois Research Spotlight: SIU Carbondale researchers say they’ve made “cookies” from upcycled plastic and agricultural waste for possible future space missions.

Storm Recovery & Food Access: World Central Kitchen is delivering free meals in Gary, Indiana as thousands remain without power after Aug. 11 storms, with residents still facing no water and limited basic services. Urban Heat & Health: A Northwestern study finds that protecting mature trees and slightly boosting Chicago’s tree canopy could cut mortality—each 0.03% year-to-year increase tied to about 105 fewer deaths annually, with big benefits from existing shade. Water Infrastructure Costs: Skokie is raising water rates after a major 2025 water main break, approving a minimum $11.39 quarterly increase to fund lead line work, flood control, and repairs. Microplastics in the Great Lakes: Scientists are pushing governments to tackle microplastics as they spread through the Great Lakes, linking the problem to urgent policy action. Data Centers & Local Burdens: New reporting says data centers near O’Hare are receiving large property tax breaks, shifting costs onto suburban homeowners even as communities debate environmental and utility impacts. Public Lands Free Day: The National Park Service is marking its 110th birthday with free admission at Midwest parks on Aug. 25. Community Safety at Events: Illinois State Police is rolling out a Bicycle Response Team to improve quick access and crowd engagement at large-scale festivals and fairs.

Illinois Farm Policy: Rep. Nikki Budzinski says USDA staffing cuts—about a 27% drop in Illinois—could weaken Farm Service Agency support, crop reporting, and conservation help for producers. Clean Buildings in Chicago: A new Fulton Market high-rise is planned as all-electric and geothermal-powered, aiming to cut fossil-fuel use in dense urban housing. AI Data Center Backlash: A nationwide wave of protests against AI data centers is growing, with organizers citing power costs, water strain, and limited local benefits. Local Outdoor Access: Will County’s Forest Preserve District brings back its Woods Walk hiking challenge on Sept. 1, with trails through forests, grasslands, and wetlands. Water & Workforce: Sauk Valley College Foundation received a $10,000 grant to expand its Impact Program, including pathways tied to environmental and renewable-energy careers.

Community Solar Saves Money: Clearbrook, an Illinois disability services provider, is using community solar to cut electricity costs by up to 20% across more than 70 Chicago-area locations, freeing funds for services. Local Clean Energy Workforce: Near West Side nonprofit JIREH Workforce Solutions is training people for solar and construction jobs, pairing hands-on skills with coaching and support for people facing barriers to employment. Illinois River Pollution Settlement: Pekin ethanol plant ordered to pay $200,000 in an Illinois River contamination settlement, a reminder that enforcement still matters for water quality. Great Lakes Learning: A Lake Superior historian is offering a new guide aimed at helping travelers see the region more deeply—good news for nature-minded Illinois readers planning trips. Wildlife & Habitat: Illinois parks are named major tick hot spots, while a Michigan story highlights hope for a butterfly nearing global extinction. Policy & Health Watch: A federal judge rules Washtenaw County can keep sanctuary policies, and separate reporting flags higher Parkinson’s risk for people living near dry cleaners.

Severe Weather & Climate Signals: Illinois is on pace for a record tornado year, with preliminary counts showing at least 207 tornadoes so far and 241 reports year-to-date, underscoring how extreme storms are stacking up. Storm Aftermath in the Region: A derecho left parts of northern Illinois and northwest Indiana reeling, with tens of thousands still without power days later and residents facing spoiled food, closed schools, and prolonged recovery. Fall Heat Outlook: NOAA is calling for a warmer-than-average fall, with a “super” El Niño driving higher odds of above-average temperatures—Illinois sits in the “equal chances” zone, but the broader pattern points to lingering heat. Mosquito Surge After Flooding: Central Illinois health officials warn that recent flooding and standing water could mean more mosquitoes this weekend, raising concerns about bites and disease risk. Tick Safety for Outdoor Plans: Two Illinois state parks—Starved Rock and Mississippi Palisades—were flagged as major tick hot spots, a reminder to check for ticks after hikes. Public Health Risk Near Dry Cleaners: A study links living within 500 feet of dry cleaners to higher Parkinson’s risk, pointing to persistent dry-cleaning chemicals as a possible, remediable exposure factor. Wildlife & Biodiversity: Chicago’s Field Museum helped name a new non-venomous snake species from New Guinea—Slash’s groundsnake—adding another discovery to the region’s rich biodiversity. Local Conservation Spotlight: A state biologist is working to protect local birds while also getting outdoors to observe wildlife, blending research and field time. Illinois River Pollution & Community Stakes: Courts and settlements tied to Illinois River contamination continue to move, with appeals and stays shaping what cleanup and accountability look like next. Energy & Water Infrastructure: Federal and state efforts are funding habitat and water projects, including wetlands support tied to local settlements and restoration work aimed at improving resilience. Data Centers, Water, and Pollution: Chicago is tightening rules on data centers over pollution, water use, and power costs, as the issue remains a flashpoint in local politics. Illinois Microplastics Push: Illinois is taking aim at microplastics in the Midwest, signaling continued pressure on pollution sources. Rewilding & Habitat Design: New landscape and rewilding efforts highlight how design choices can support healthier ecosystems and wildlife recovery.