July/August issue: The environment

Illinois Issues magazine's annual environment issue came out today.

In it, you'll find "Wind power," a story about Illinois being at a turning point in its energy-producing future. It's written by Michael Hawthorne, the Chicago Tribune reporter who broke the Crestwood water contamination story.

I picked up on the Crestwood case, which spawned multiple lawsuits, including one by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan. I wrote about it in my July/August column, which explores current state law regarding how information about the public water supply trickles down — or not — to local residents.

Also check out a rather inspiring story about the "River man," a personal profile of Chad Pregracke, founder of Living Lands & Waters and dedicated leader of hundreds of volunteers who cruise the state's waterways and pick up unbelievable amounts of trash.

Energy policy gurus can catch up on the state's new process of procuring power on behalf of Illinois utilities by reading "Switched on." It discusses the Illinois Power Agency's role in an uncertain electricity market.

In addition to our regular columns, brief articles and legislative checklists, the print-only edition also includes a feature about the environmentally friendly but challenging technologies meant to fight pollution in urban areas. Our print readers also will learn more about Marc Miller, new Natural Resources director who is trying to revive that agency's morale while fighting an uncertain economic future.