Environment
America depends on hydroelectric power, but regulatory hurdles could take plants offline
Hydropower accounts for nearly 30% of utility-scale renewable energy in the U.S., but federal hurdles may prevent older hydroelectric plants from staying online and new projects from getting off the ground.
Illinois environmental advocates aim to strengthen ties with lawmakers, increase outreach amid federal policy changes
Illinois environmental advocates are working to strengthen their connections with lawmakers and communities across the state while the legislature is in recess.
Midwest states east of ‘tornado alley’ are bearing the brunt of severe storm season. Here’s why
Tornadoes have killed 68 people in the U.S. in 2025, with the majority of those deaths in Kentucky and Missouri.
After DOGE gutted AmeriCorps, rural communities stand to lose education and preservation help
AmeriCorps members were working on environmental education and habitat restoration at parks and nature centers in rural areas across the country. Now federal cuts have eliminated many of those positions.
PHOTOS: Storm snaps trees and utility poles in Vermilion County
Tornado warnings were issued at different times Tuesday afternoon in Champaign, De Witt, Macon, Piatt and Vermilion counties.
Bill banning carbon sequestration near Mahomet Aquifer clears General Assembly
The bill comes after recent leaks at a carbon injection site in Decatur.
Soil conservation in the U.S. started with this agency 90 years ago. Now its future is uncertain
The Natural Resources Conservation Service is dealing with job losses, massive proposed budget cuts and talk of consolidation.
Clock ticks on lifting Illinois’ nuclear moratorium as environmental groups want a say
Illinois’ energy demand will outmatch its supply by 2030, according to a study from the consulting firm The Power Bureau.
How to stop invasive plants from taking over the prairie state
CHAMPAIGN COUNTY – Illinois is called the prairie state because a few centuries ago, it was mostly prairie land, filled with thousands with different types
Armadillos aren’t just in Texas anymore, they are expanding territory in Illinois
Armadillos have little hair and cannot survive on ground that is frozen for more than a few days. But climate change means winter in much of Illinois is becoming more bearable.
Scientists near Peoria wake up early to catch invasive birds
Invasive birds cost the United States’ farming industry billions of dollars every year. But to find out which species are the biggest culprit, you have to get up way before the sun comes up.
Ban on carbon capture near Mahomet Aquifer wins unanimous approval in Illinois Senate
Over the last few years, environmental groups and others in Central Illinois have raised concerns about the region’s water potentially becoming contaminated by an emerging technology that’s intended to reduce the harm caused by greenhouse gas emissions.