Howard A. Learner: Earth Day is a reminder that Illinois must come up with environmental solutions

Howard A. Learner, CEO of the Environmental Law & Policy Center, used Earth Day as an opportunity to call on Illinois policymakers to implement comprehensive environmental solutions in 2026. He outlined four key priorities: passing the Illinois Wetlands Protection Act to restore federal safeguards, improving Chicago's regional public transit system, addressing the environmental and economic impacts of data centers, and protecting Lake Michigan. Learner highlighted that the rapid development of data centers in Illinois is straining utility rates, increasing pollution, depleting freshwater supplies, and stressing the electricity grid. He proposed practical solutions, including requiring data center owners to cover their own power costs, develop their own clean energy, and implement demand response measures to alleviate grid strain. He also noted that the Illinois Commerce Commission has begun requiring financial deposits from data center speculators. Beyond data centers, Learner urged the state to act swiftly to protect wetlands, which provide critical flood control and habitat, and to complete cleanup efforts along Lake Michigan's shoreline, specifically mentioning the Army Corps of Engineers' past plans for a toxic dredged waste landfill. He emphasized the state's constitutional mandate for a healthful environment and called for strong leadership to achieve these environmental goals.