Environmental and Government News #9: 2/25/26
Hello! I hope everyone’s 2026 is off to a great start. I’m back to share more environmental policy news from a state, national, and global level! In Illinois this past month, two particularly exciting pieces of legislation have been in the works. Firstly, a new bill, HB4773, or the Climate Change Superfund Act. Filed by Illinois House of Representatives member Robyn Gabel, the bill requires climate polluters to pay into a new fund for climate change impacts to offset their environmental impacts ( Bill Status of HB4773 , 2026). The IEPA is in charge of rulemaking to quantify the emissions and set payment amounts proportional to each company’s emissions. These funds will go towards climate change adaptation and infrastructure projects. What’s unique about this bill is that it mandates at least 40% of the fund be spent on projects in disadvantaged communities, which are often disproportionate victims of climate change impacts (US EPA, 2021). At the time of writing, the bill is...