environmental solutions for business

A pro-business regulatory landscape? We make it possible.

We’re on a mission.

Advocate Members' interests before state agencies, primarily the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and the Illinois Pollution Control Board;

Negotiate environmental policies, laws, and regulations. as they are promulgated, administered, and implemented by the State of Illinois; and

Provide accurate and technically sound input early in the legislative and regulatory development processes to promote favorable outcomes for the Illinois business community.

our values

Since day one, we've believed that environmental challenges facing Illinois are solvable by balancing reasonable economically-feasible regulations, scientific data, and our desire to protect the environment to carefully craft a pro-business climate in Illinois.
Networking

IERG is affiliated with the Illinois Chamber of Commerce and the Environmental Affairs Committee. In building connections at networking events both hosted and attended by IERG staff, we progress industry support in regulation. IERG is proud to have professional relations with IDNR, the IPCB, the IEPA, & US EPA Region 5.

Education

IERG’s Members-only portal offers regulatory updates and summaries of incoming legal proposals.  IERG hosts timely and relevant monthly webinars and quarterly seminars regarding environmental regulation, legislation, and policy.

Advocacy

IERG staff attends meetings held by prominent regulatory bodies to monitor progress and stakeholder outreach.  IERG expends effort to draft both regulatory language and detailed comments on proposals put forth by regulatory agencies as well as testify on behalf of Members at hearings.

our impact

Four decades of business-first service

December 1985
2000
2006
August 2015
July 2018
January 2023
May 2023
August 2023
December 2, 1985

IERG was incorporated. 

1994

Implementation of the Clean Air Act Amendments.

2000

IERG joins the World Wide Web.

2006

IERG is a leader on TACO developments.

January 2015

SB1672 Introduced by Senator Sue Rezin. An IERG & IL Chamber of Commerce initiative on PSD Permitting.

May 31, 2015

SB1672 passed by General Assembly.

August 25, 2015

SB1672 signed into law as Public Act 99-463.

July 2018

PSD Rulemaking begins before the Illinois Pollution Control Board

January–May 2019

IERG participates in legislative discussions and provided testimony on the proposal of Coal Ash Cleanup and Storage Act (Public Act 101-171)

August 27, 2020

The Illinois Pollution Control Board finalizes the rulemaking R19-1 PSD Permitting Rules.

January 2023

USEPA Region Administrator Debra Shore and her team meets with IERG Executive Team

May 2023

HB 3017 — Permitting Portal

our team

Meet our team.

Kelly Thompson

Executive Director
About

Tara Bosaw

Office Manager
About

Marissa Wesley

Policy & Research Analyst
About

Trejahn Hunter

Legal Counsel
About

Marisa Thompson

Project Manager
About

Toby Frevert

Water Consultant
About

Don Sutton

Air Consultant
About

our board

Meet our Executive Committee.

Chris Polley
Environmental Engineer 
Deere & Company 
Equipment and Services Sector
Andrea Coffman
Regional Environmental Director 
ADM
Food, Pharmaceuticals, and Health Sector
Ross Bunton
Environmental Director
Prairie State Generating Company
Electrical and Utilities Sector
Brad Stevenson
Corporate EHS Manager 
Caterpillar 
Transportation Sector
Chris Backos
Senior EHSS Manager  
Stepan Company
Chemicals Sector
Beth Steinhour
Director of Environmental Affairs 
Marquis
Food, Pharmaceuticals, and Health Sector
Evan Buskohl
Environmental Engineer
Sterling Steel
Manufacturing Sector
Brad Sims
Environment, Regulatory, and Sustainably Advisor 
ExxonMobil Oil Corporation 
Petroleum Sector
Troy Lively
Supervisor, Environmental & Sustainability
Olin
Manufacturing Sector
Greg Meyers
Corporate Environmental & Air Quality Leader
Marathon Petroleum Company, LP
Petroleum Sector
Brian Martin
Senior Manager 
Ameren
Electrical and Utilities Sector
Marisa Thompson
Marisa Thompson is Project Manager at the Illinois Environmental Regulatory Group. Marisa received her Bachelor of Science in Public Health from Belmont University in 2021. Before joining IERG, Marisa was a Tribal Consultant managing about 125 projects at a time with a 2–3-month lifecycle at EBI Consulting. Prior to that, she was an environmental scientist writing Phase I Environmental Site Assessments at EBI as well as Terracon. Marisa believes in IERG’s mission to create a more collaborative environmental regulatory landscape and is proud to be a part of the organization!
Marissa Wesley
Marissa Wesley is a Policy and Research Analyst at the Illinois Environmental Regulatory Group. Marissa’s tasks focus on monitoring and tracking Federal and Illinois environmental rulemakings and policies. Marissa joined IERG as a Graduate Intern at the beginning of 2024 while completing her master’s degree in environmental studies at the University of Illinois- Springfield and has a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Illinois- Chicago. She continues her education by pursuing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Certification and is working on incorporating visual mapping for internal analysis. Previously, Marissa had several years of experience in the childcare industry, strengthening her patience, dependability, and flexibility. Marissa hails from Chicago and enjoys family time with her husband and two kids.
Tara Bosaw
Tara Bosaw is the Office Manager at the Illinois Environmental Regulatory Group. Tara is dedicated to ensuring smooth-running and efficient office space. Prior to joining IERG, she served as the Aquatic Program Director for the YMCA of Springfield from 2014 to 2021 where she focused on customer relations and customer service training. Tara supports the office and staff and assists with event planning and execution. Tara enjoys interacting with members and the public and contributing to the growth of IERG.
Toby Frevert
Mr. Frevert has provided environmental consulting services to the Illinois Environmental Regulatory Group and its members since January 2008. His professional experience encompasses over 45 years of environmental work in various programmatic areas including both air and water media. Prior to his work with IERG, Mr. Frevert was employed by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency in various capacities, ultimately serving as Manager of the Division of Water Pollution Control. In this capacity, he was responsible for planning, monitoring, permitting, and other regulatory aspects of Illinois’ statewide water quality programs mandated pursuant to State and Federal laws. His responsibilities included direction and oversight of staff performing functions encompassing development and support of water quality standards and source control regulations, permitting and compliance oversight of regulated entities, monitoring and assessment of water quality conditions of Illinois’ streams, lakes and rivers. Mr. Frevert has participated in numerous State, interstate, and Federal initiatives providing expertise on policy, strategy, and technical aspects of water and air quality initiatives. Subsequent to his tenure at IEPA, Mr. Frevert has been providing environmental consulting services to business and local government entities on a variety of environmental issues. He also serves as a Commissioner of the Ohio River Valley Sanitation Commission, an interstate water quality Agency established through State and Federal legislation in 1948 to coordinate water quality protection for the Ohio River. He was appointed as an Illinois Commissioner in December 2009, served as Commission Chairman in 2013-14, and continues to serve and currently serves on numerous Commission committees and initiatives.
Mr. Sutton's career spans over 43 years addressing complex environmental issues, with 29 of those years spent with the IEPA as well as in environmental consulting. As a consultant, Don manages complex air pollution control/management projects for several national and international manufacturers. His expertise includes permitting, compliance assurance review, program development, BACT review, PSD review, MACT compliance, system evaluation, negotiation, and interaction with USEPA and state regulatory agencies. Mr. Sutton has provided comprehensive air quality services for numerous sectors, including but not limited to heavy equipment manufacturing, pipelines, oil and gas exploration, surface coating operations, grain industry, ethanol plants, steel mills, and the asphalt industry. Don is a licensed professional engineer and holds a Bachelor of Science in Thermal and Environmental Engineering and a Master of Science in Environmental Engineering.
Trejahn Hunter
Trejahn Hunter is Legal Counsel at the Illinois Environmental Regulatory Group. Trejahn is a New York native residing in Chicago who enjoys fishing, hiking, and exploring the outdoors. Trejahn also likes to watch sports and trade in the stock market. He received his law degree from the University at Buffalo. In his practice as an attorney, Trejahn incorporates values learned from the natural world including resourcefulness, resilience, and adaptation. He is grateful to be in the environmental field and a member of the IERG team!
Kelly Thompson
Kelly Thompson is the Executive Director at the Illinois Environmental Regulatory Group. She served as IERG's Project Manager for five years. Prior to joining IERG, she served as Executive Director at the Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts from 2012 to 2017. Prior to that she worked as a GIS Analyst with Tetra Tech. Kelly also interned at IEPA – Bureau of Water during Graduate school. Kelly earned a Bachelor’s in Geography from Eastern Illinois University and received a master’s in environmental studies from University of Illinois – Springfield. Kelly has xperience in Association management, environmental policy, research and data collection, fundraising, event planning, leadership and public relations.