"After years of fighting to curb toxic pollution in communities of color, Illinois activists are celebrating a step forward.

A bill expanding the state’s regulatory obligations over industrial air polluters in environmental justice communities passed the state legislature last week and is expected to go into effect at the start of next year.

The bill amends the Illinois Environmental Protection Act and will require the state’s Environmental Protection Agency to consider cumulative pollution and other burdens when evaluating certain air emission permits for construction. It also allows the agency to consider an applicant’s past environmental violations when approving permits, and to enact stricter requirements for air monitoring and pollution prevention.

For Jen Walling, chief executive officer of the Illinois Environmental Council, this legislation has been a long time coming."

Keerti Gopal reports for Inside Climate News June 3, 2026. [2]