Last November, the Trump administration proposed a stricter definition for “Waters of the United States,” excluding seasonal streams, marshes, bogs, swamps and mangrove forests from protection under the 1972 Clean Water Act.

Last week, the Trump administration delivered a catastrophic blow to U.S. climate policy by repealing the longstanding scientific finding that planet-warming pollution poses a danger to humans. Now comes the yearslong race through the courts.

Environmental groups described the move as the single biggest attack in U.S. history against federal authority to address climate change. Evidence backing up the endangerment finding has only grown stronger in the 17 years since it was approved, they said.

U.S. Sens. Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin were among 17 lawmakers who signed a letter urging the Trump administration to reinstate Environmental Protection Agency employees placed on leave after they signed a statement criticizing the administration for “recklessly undermining the EPA mission.”

Environmental advocates, elected leaders and workers at the Environmental Protection Agency gathered at Federal Plaza downtown Monday to push back against the president’s reported plans to repeal a key federal determination that allows the EPA to help combat climate change.

More than 170 EPA employees put their names to the document, with about 100 more signing anonymously out of fear of retaliation.

The EPA also proposed weakening a regulation that requires power plants to reduce emissions of mercury and other toxic pollutants that can harm brain development of young children and contribute to heart attacks and other health problems in adults.

Illinois environmental officials are warning residents about air quality concerns as wildfire smoke from Canada persists in Chicago through Friday.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has announced a $4.8 million settlement with Trump International Hotel & Tower in Chicago, resolving environmental violations related to the building’s cooling system, which uses water drawn from the Chicago River.

More than 200 people rallied in downtown Chicago on Tuesday to push back on President Donald Trump’s sweeping efforts to cut government spending and reduce the size of the federal workforce.

The U.S. Senate has approved the reauthorization through 2031 of a federal program that provides crucial funding for restoration and protection of Great Lakes ecosystems. Now it’s up to the U.S. House to do the same.

President-elect Donald Trump is starting to fill key posts in his second administration, putting an emphasis so far on aides and allies who were his strongest backers during the 2024 campaign.

“We’re finally addressing an issue that should have been addressed a long time ago,” President Joe Biden said in announcing a new EPA rule that speeds up the deadline for lead service line replacement.

The judge’s ruling is another striking dissent to a practice that has been hailed as one of the greatest public health achievements of the last century. Fluoride strengthens teeth and reduces cavities by replacing minerals lost during normal wear and tear, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Trump International Hotel and Tower has been found in violation of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act and deemed a “public nuisance” to the Chicago River.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced $4.3 billion in funding Monday as part of its Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program, and Illinois was a big winner, nabbing $430 million.