Link to IERG site

IERG Executive Director
Deirdre K. Hirner

Environment Chamber Policy Review Archive

IERG Analyses

Summary of Governor's Climate Change Advisory Group's Draft Analyses

Environment Policy Review

January Edition 2009

New Laws - Energy/Environment

HB 5930 State Green Buildings LED Lights Act – amends the Government Buildings Energy Cost Reduction Act of 1991 by allowing the use of light-emitting diode (LED) lighting in government buildings (more than 1,000 sq. ft. in size) that has not received the Energy Star label from the US EPA as long as the LED lighting meets the Department of Energy’s efficacy (lumens per watt) and Coloring Rendering Index (CRI) requirements and is verified by independent labs that the US EPA and Secretary of Energy have certified as using accepted procedures from the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America.
(P.A. 0743)

SB 0878 Renewable Energy Resources Program – allows DCEO to administer the “Renewable Energy Resources Program” to provide grants, loans and other incentives to create investment in and the development and use of solar, wind, organic waste biomass and some hydro energies. DCEO will conduct an annual study on the use and availability of renewable energy resources in Illinois and submit a report to the General Assembly.  Included in the report will suggestions for legislation which will encourage further development of renewable energy resources.  (P.A. 095-0913)

SB 2110 Uniform Environmental Covenant- Creates the Uniform Environmental Covenants Act, proposed by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws. Creates an interest in real estate called an "environmental covenant" that assures a plan of rehabilitation for contaminated real property (brownfields) and controls the use of the property.   An underlying plan between State or federal government and landowner for "remediation" of the property must be in place for an environmental covenant to be created and conveyed. The ultimate objective of this Act is to allow contaminated property to be returned to those uses consistent with prescribed clean-up, essentially making them marketable.   (P.A. 095-0845)