Illinois EPA makes strides towards reaching net zero emissions
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently released its Comprehensive Climate Action Plan, outlining its goal to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
The plan proposes new regulations on both residential and commercial buildings, including adopting clean heat standards that would require a 22% reduction in emissions from natural gas by 2035, offering subsidies to install heat pumps in residential homes, adopting all-electric construction codes for new construction and phasing out gasoline-powered lawn and landscaping equipment by 2035.
“Since adoption of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, Illinois has been a national leader in addressing carbon emissions, particularly from the energy and transportation sectors,” said Illinois EPA Director James Jennings. “The [Comprehensive Climate Action Plan] builds on these past successes by identifying a path for [the state] to achieve significant reductions in climate change-causing greenhouse gases and meet the state’s long-term climate goals.”
