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The report examines the environmental and health risks associated with dumping coal combustion waste (CCW), or coal ash, into active and abandoned coal mines across the United States. It argues that this practice, often labeled as 'beneficial use' or 'recycling' to bypass regulations, allows toxic metals to leach into groundwater and surface water. The document highlights the failure of the U.S. EPA and the Office of Surface Mining to implement necessary safeguards, noting that minefilling is driven by economic incentives, reducing disposal costs by 89 to 95 percent compared to engineered landfills. It specifically identifies the increased risks from Fluidized Bed Combustion (FBC) plants and provides case studies of contamination in Pennsylvania and New Mexico. The report concludes by urging the EPA to adopt the National Academies of Sciences' recommendations for mandatory testing, site characterization, and long-term monitoring.

The document details the prevalence of unlined coal ash ponds in Illinois, identifies specific power plants with groundwater contamination, and critiques the state's regulatory deficiencies regarding ash impoundment safeguards.

The document presents a series of testimonials and official statements highlighting the systemic risks associated with using DOT-111 tank cars for crude oil transport. Key authorities, including the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the U.S. Department of Transportation, describe these cars as prone to breaching during derailments, creating an "unacceptable public risk." The compiled evidence emphasizes that voluntary industry action is insufficient, calling for mandatory bans and updated safety standards to prevent catastrophic accidents in densely populated areas and environmentally sensitive regions.

The document outlines the economic and environmental benefits of energy efficiency in Illinois, asserting that specific policies can help the state meet 83% of its carbon reduction goals under the EPA's Clean Power Plan. It projects that by 2030, a combination of 1.5% annual energy savings, national model building codes, and 500 MWs of new combined heat and power would avoid over 29 million tons of CO2 and save Illinoisans $5.4 billion.

In 2024, the United States had more than 4,085,300 climate jobs, with clean energy job creation outpacing fossil fuel job creation. Energy efficiency was the largest sector, supporting nearly 2.4 million jobs, while renewable energy supported 596,100 jobs, dominated by solar and wind. Clean energy storage and grid modernization supported 160,300 jobs. Clean vehicle employment fell by 3% between 2023 and 2024, though renewable fuels remained steady. The adaptation and resilience industry grew by 18% to $4.8 billion in 2024, despite a lack of formal tracking by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Federal legislation including the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) significantly drove investment, although some incentives were weakened or eliminated in 2025.

The document details the distribution of Recovery Act funds for high-speed rail awards across the West, Midwest, Southeast, and Northeast regions of the United States. The West region received the highest allocation at $2,942,000,000, followed by the Midwest at $2,599,600,000, the Southeast at $1,870,000,000, and the Northeast at $485,000,000. Key projects include the California High-Speed Rail, the Tampa-Orlando Phase 1 HSR, and various track, signal, and station upgrades across multiple state corridors to increase train speeds and reliability.

The document consists of a collection of 45 figures mapping the FSEIS routes for nuclear waste transport through nearly every U.S. state and the District of Columbia.

The research identifies 656 industrial facilities and 174 ethanol plants in the contiguous U.S. as primary opportunities for point-source carbon capture. It focuses exclusively on process emissions, excluding indirect emissions from the electrical grid and stationary combustion. The study employs a technology-agnostic cost model to estimate the cost of CO2 avoided, incorporating capture, compression, transport (via trucking or pipeline), and injection costs. Key sectors analyzed include cement, bioethanol, refining, hydrogen, and ammonia production, with a particular emphasis on the proximity of these facilities to sedimentary basins and existing CO2 pipelines to determine eligibility for the federal 45Q tax credit.

GreenLatinos' 2025-2028 Strategic Plan focuses on increasing the political influence of the Latino environmental community through the establishment of a 501(c)4 advocacy entity and a Political Action Committee (PAC). The organization aims to expand its state programs in Colorado, California, New Mexico, Illinois, and Texas, while increasing support for leaders in Latin America and the Caribbean to influence international climate and conservation frameworks. Key operational goals include launching a mission-aligned social enterprise and developing leadership programs for members.

GreenLatinos reports significant growth between 2021 and 2024, expanding its staff from four to thirty and increasing network membership by 250%. The organization released two editions of the Latino Climate Justice Framework, influenced the Inflation Reduction Act, and launched the Justicia y Equidad Fund, which granted nearly $22.8 million to frontline organizations for urban greening and community forestry. It also established state programs in Colorado, Texas, California, New Mexico, and Illinois to support place-based campaigns.

The document provides a comparative analysis of labor policies from the NY State Common Retirement Fund, CalPERS, Maryland SRPS, MassPRIM, and the Illinois State Board of Investment (ISBI). It details how these investors approach the right to organize, compulsory labor, discrimination, wages, layoffs, diversity, health and safety, and working conditions within their private equity portfolios.

Private equity firms own at least 31,000 companies employing 13 million US workers, often in low-wage sectors. The document asserts that poor workforce relations and high bankruptcy risks in private equity-backed companies can lead to material financial losses, while proactive workforce management—including better wages and health and safety practices—enhances company performance and investor returns. Several US state pension funds managing over a trillion dollars have already adopted such policies to integrate labor risk assessment into manager selection and monitoring.

The document highlights the systemic labor risks associated with private equity, noting that portfolio companies employ 13 million US workers and face higher bankruptcy risks. It advocates for the adoption of Responsible Workforce Management policies by state pension funds to improve company performance and avoid operational disruptions, citing a $3.7 trillion backlog of portfolio companies and lagging returns as reasons for increased investor-led oversight.

The report argues that state preemption—where state law supersedes local ordinances—is frequently used to block municipal efforts to regulate corporate landlords, particularly private equity firms. It highlights that while 'home-rule' states offer more local autonomy than 'Dillon's rule' states, state governments can still override local housing policies. Using examples from California, Florida, and Illinois, the document demonstrates how preemption limits rent control, eviction protections, and inclusionary zoning, often influenced by corporate lobbying. The authors conclude that housing advocates must focus on state-level legislative changes and coalition building to abrogate these preemptions.

The analysis employs RMI's Energy Policy Simulator (EPS) and Smarter MODES tools to model the impact of three specific policy interventions in Illinois: electric vehicle sales standards, GHG planning in infrastructure, and increased transit investment. The EPS model assumes the adoption of Advanced Clean Cars 2 and Advanced Clean Trucks starting in 2029, targeting 100% zero-emission passenger cars and SUVs, 58% of commercial trucks, and 33% of buses by 2035. Simultaneously, the Smarter MODES calculator models a 20% per capita reduction in vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by 2050 compared to 2019 levels, alongside an 80% electric light-duty vehicle stock by 2050.

The report argues that while the technology to double trucking efficiency already exists, adoption is hindered by a fragmented industry structure, a lack of trust in efficiency data, and regulatory constraints. It highlights that Class 7 and 8 heavy-duty trucks are the primary targets for improvement, as they account for nearly 80 percent of truck fuel consumption despite representing less than half of the total truck population. The document maps the complex stakeholder ecosystem—including OEMs, mega-fleets, and regulatory bodies like the EPA and DOE—and emphasizes that systemic improvements require collaboration across the entire value chain, from design and manufacturing to operations and infrastructure.

The document analyzes the decline of coal-fired power in the US, noting that over 20% of the 2016 capacity is uneconomic compared to natural gas. It projects further retirements through 2030 and discusses the economic and environmental implications for local communities.

The Union of Concerned Scientists analyzes a proposal to increase Illinois's RPS to 35% by 2030 and its EEPS to a 20% reduction in electricity demand by 2025. Using the DOE's ReEDS model, the report finds that these strengthened standards would drive $23 billion in clean energy investment, save consumers $12.1 billion in electricity expenditures through 2030, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 9.3% compared to a scenario with no policies.

The document details the relationship between rising global temperatures and the formation of ground-level ozone, which is created when nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds react with heat and sunlight. It highlights that without strong climate policies, respiratory issues such as asthma attacks could increase by 11.8 million annual incidences by 2050. The text emphasizes the disproportionate impact on children, the elderly, and Latino populations in the U.S., noting that nearly half of the U.S. population lives in areas with unhealthy ozone levels.

The report projects substantial warming and shifting precipitation patterns for the US Midwest, with extreme heat events and heavy rainfall becoming more frequent. Under a higher emissions scenario, end-of-century temperatures could rise by up to 10°F, significantly increasing the frequency of severe heat waves and reducing snow cover. While annual precipitation may only increase slightly, winter and spring are expected to become wetter, while summer precipitation may decrease under higher emissions. These changes are projected to increase heat-related mortality and flooding risks across the region.