Illinois Business Advocacy

The broad range of interests of our Members allows IERG to be at the forefront of most environmental regulatory developments.

Recent IERG actions

Water

  • Groundwater
  • Per- and polyfluoralkyl substances (PFAS)
  • National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permits
  • Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy

Air

  • Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)
  • Nonattainment new source review (NA-NSR)
  • Particulate Matter (PM)
  • Exceptional events

Land

  • Coal combustion residuals (CCRs) or coal ash
  • General construction and demolition debris (GCDD)
  • Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
  • Carbon capture, utilization, and storage

Environmental justice

  • Illinois Commission on Environmental Justice
  • USEPA guidance for permitting transactions
  • Illinois EPA mapping tool

Legislative

  • Public Act 103-0538 (HB3017) Permit Portal
  • Wetlands legislation

Comprehensive support during the regulatory phase

Informed professionals are more likely to make balanced policy decisions. In addition to quarterly meetings and monthly webinars, we hold annual seminars, like our Air Permit Seminar, to educate environmental professionals on Illinois environmental regulations.

We identify legislation of interest for our members and provide updates in anticipation of significant deadlines. We then ask for your feedback on your business’s experience with these bills, any bills of interest you’d like added to our list, and whether you agree or disagree with our proposed position. We’ve also initiated regulatory development and proposed rulemakings before the Illinois Pollution Control Board (IPCB).

Within our membership platform, we notify members of any significant movements in the regulatory cycle, including draft guidance overviews, the timing of public comment periods, and any clarifications/corrections agencies make. In some circumstances, we send out surveys to give our members the opportunity to weigh in.

When government agencies finalize rules, our members are the first to know. Not only do we provide timely updates, we’re here to support businesses through any implementation.

Air

Ozone NAAQS

We submitted comments urging the U.S. EPA to avoid bumping Chicago up from “serious” to “severe” attainment.

NA-NSR

We submitted comments urging the US EPA to avoid bumping Chicago up from "serious" to "severe" nonattainment.

Exceptional events

In light of the recent wildfires and shifting climate, we advocate consistently for the IEPA to engage with the US EPA on clarity and flexibility in how federal regulations are applied on the state level.

Land

Coal Combustion Residuals (CCRs) or Coal Ash

We provided draft comments for our members and participated in the IPCB’s rulemaking and subdocket on this matter. In our comments, we raised specific concerns around language regulating historic unconsolidated ash fill, temporary storage piles, and fugitive dust, and imposing additional EJ requirements.

General construction and demolition debris (GCDD)

We filed an appearance in the IEPA’s rulemaking to clarify the definition of “GCDD recovery facility” and the agency’s intent behind the proposed rules.

RCRA

For decades, we’ve kept our members informed about any updates, revisions, or evolving requirements related to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).

Carbon capture, utilization, and storage

When multiple members expressed interest in the surge of proposed bills related to carbon sequestration, we established calls to discuss strategy and reflect on existing bill content. This became part of a broader business/industry coalition.

Water

Groundwater

We provided testimony and witnesses for hearings to ask questions of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) regarding their proposals, including questions related to the data provided to make regulatory decisions and programs. We also submitted post-hearing comments to stress the need for sound science to inform groundwater quality standards.

PFAS

We have close relationships with environmental consultants and technical experts to further our knowledge of PFAS. As US EPA continues to propose changes to regulatory programs, including PFAS standards, IERG keeps members informed about potential implications for their businesses.  

NPDES Permits

NPDES permits have undergone various changes throughout the years. We’ve kept our members informed, provided technical changes through the public comment process, and briefed our members on crucial resources available, such as the US EPA’s Pollution Prevention Strategies for Industrial PFAS Discharges and FAQs about PFAS methods for NPDES permits.

Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy

We often attend regional conferences and seminars to gather information that benefits our members. In this case, we shared practice implementation in the agriculture, point source, and urban stormwater sectors and forward-looking recommendations for the Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy.

Environmental Justice

Illinois Commission on Environmental Justice

In 2019, IERG led a coalition comprised of various business associations to develop a framework for environmental justice in Illinois, including six principles we champion and six that should be omitted. Your voice matters to us. 

USEPA guidance for permitting transactions

Alongside our members, we’ve met with the IEPA to review its Environmental Justice Public Participation Policy and how it interfaces with permitting transactions and US EPA guidance. As part of the process, we’ve flagged member concerns and pressed for adjustments that puts accuracy first.

Illinois EPA mapping tool

We've kept members informed on the ongoing development of IEPA's mapping tool, EJ Start, voicing their concerns throughout its evolution and providing timely updates every time the IEPA adds new data or data points.

Legislative

Public Act/HB3017 Permit Portal

Our members need efficient permitting processes to continue running their businesses successfully. We’ve kept them updated on the status of HB3017, Public Act 103-0548, which requires the DCEO’s Office of Business Permits and Regulatory Assistance to prioritize permit issuance and create a streamlined permitting portal.