By Illinois Radio Network

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, which is responsible for protecting the environment and public health, has struggled amid funding and staffing declines – the agency has half the staff it had 15 years ago – and rollbacks of environmental protections are making its job more difficult.

A report from environmental groups, including two former state EPA directors and Mark Templeton, director of the Abrams Environmental Law Clinic at the University of Chicago Law School, concluded that the state needs to provide more resources to the agency.

“The IEPA today is mostly focused on permitting,” said Jennifer Walling, CEO of the Illinois Environmental Council. “When you have a new facility or your permit expires, putting together a permit to allow you to engage in whatever polluting activity you like. They do have inspectors to inspect, fine violations and maybe do a compliance agreement and then enforcement, and there is some space for policy. But if you look at IEPA decades ago, IEPA used to do its own research. There was an entire institute that advised the Pollution Control Board on science, and the review of science in making administrative rulings. These things don’t exist anymore.”

Walling said the existing system also hampers businesses.

“I think there are a number of people that aren’t happy with the system from the business community,” she said. “Because we’re in a system where a permit that takes a month in other states would really take years in Illinois to be received. It is really hard to operate a business under that type of uncertainty.”

Illinois is one of only three states that does not fund its EPA from the general fund. In response to the report, the IEPA said it is working with the Gov. J.B. Pritzker administration to find ways to boost staff and discourage environmental damage.

Illinois Radio Network can be reached at [email protected].