Heather Steans
State Senator
Legislative Update
In This Issue
Environmental Legislation Update
Food Scrap Composting
Uptown Public Safety

September 14, 2009
Legislative Update

Dear neighbor,

As part of my series of updates on legislation that passed this session, this e-mail provides an update on significant environmental bills that have passed this session and an update on public safety efforts in Uptown.
  • Energy Efficient Building Codes (HB3987) - Environmental advocates have worked on this bill, introduced by State Representative Julie Hamos, for several years.  It finally passed the legislature and was signed by the Governor this year.  This new law requires new construction of residential units in the state to meet energy efficiency requirements.  Illinois already has an energy efficiency building code for businesses. 
  • Natural Gas Energy Efficiency (SB1918) - This bill requires Illinois natural gas utilities to meet a growing percentage of natural gas demand through cost-effective efficiency programs-from 0.2% of annual demand in 2012 to 1.5% in 2019 and provides additional protections on the natural gas rate and costs for consumers.  The Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance predicts that by 2030, the natural gas efficiency provisions of S.B. 1918 will save Illinois ratepayers $10.38 billion in utility bill costs, reduce CO2 pollution by 53.27 million metric tons, and create 78,641 jobs.
  • Changes to Illinois' Renewable Energy Standard (SB2150) - This bill amends Illinois renewable energy standard, which passed in 2007.  The RES requires Illinois utilities to supply 25% of their power from renewable energy sources by  2025.  This bill created a solar carve out, meaning that 6% of the renewable energy standard each year must be met by solar energy.
The following bills that I introduced have been enacted.
  • Food Waste Composting (SB 99) - This legislation will ease the state's restrictions on food waste composting, reducing our waste stream, cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions, and providing an organic soil amendment for Illinois' farms and gardens.  For more information on the local impacts of this bill, see below.
  • Lead Sinker Education Program(SB 1269)- This bill creates a state education program to encourage the use of alternatives to lead fishing products, which can cause the death of wildlife and endanger human health.
  • Green Capital Construction(SJR 36) - This resolution urges the consideration of environmental issues in the capital construction bill to create green jobs and make our infrastructure more sustainable.
  • Natural Lawn Care (SB1769) - This bill creates new notice provisions when a school or day care sprays pesticides on areas where children will be present. 
Significant funds for open space, energy efficiency, public transportation, and water protection were also included in the capital plan that passed this year.

Should you have any ideas about further environmental legislation or comments about anything that has passed this year, feel free to contact me at 773-769-1717 or e-mail heather@heathersteans.com.

Sincerely,
Heather A. Steans
State Senator
Food Scrap Composting Legislation
 
Uncommon Ground, located at Devon Avenue, uses biodegradable containers for its take out containers.  As part of the Green Chicago Restaurant Co-operative, it was able to purchase these materials as part of a buying cooperative and buy biodegradable containers in bulk. Members of the GCRC began to think about what happens to these containers when they are thrown away and realized that in a landfill, there is very little chance for these containers to decompose.  GCRC began to look at whether it could commercially compost food scrap from its restaurant members and found that in Chicago, simply obtaining a permit for a small facility would cost somewhere between $1 million and $1.5 million. As a result, there are no commercial food scrap composting facilities that accept food scrap from off-site in
Illinois.  Several restaurants and businesses have their food scraps
shipped to Indiana to be composted.

SCARCE, an organization in the western suburbs, had been working with suburban legislators for five years to pass commercial food
scrap composting legislation.  Compost is a valuable soil amendment
that can be used in gardening, landscaping, and where
ground cover is needed.  Adding compost to the soil also adds
nutrients, increases moisture retention, and prevents soil erosion.

This bill was a solution to the problem that restaurants like Uncommon
Ground were having and I decided to pursue passing this legislation
this year.

To pass this bill, I worked with a broad coalition of environmental
organizations, businesses, farm groups, and waste haulers to draft
legislation that would meet the needs of all of the involved parties.
Together with State Representative Harry Osterman - who led the bill
in the House - and State Senator Pam Althoff and State Representative
Sandy Pihos - who worked on the bill for several years - we were able
to pass a bill through the legislature.

Uncommon Ground now has its food scraps sent to Mint Creek Farms in Illinois for composting and the GCRC founder, Dan Rosenthal, has
founded a company called Chicago Composts LLC that hopes to pick up food scraps and biodegradable serviceware to compost from restaurants in Chicago.  I hope that this legislation will be the first step towards more greener options for restaurants, businesses, and homeowners to have their food scraps "recycled."
 
Uptown Public Safety
 
Many residents have asked for assistance with public safety and violence issues that have occurred in the Uptown area. Due to high community concern and to support resident led solutions, my staff and I have been working on the following initiatives.   
  • Positive loitering - Many residents have begun positive loitering or neighborhood watch efforts in their area.  This tactic means that residents - in a group - are around to both bring positive activity to an area and also to watch and report criminal activity that may be occurring .  I would especially like to thank Ed Kuske - who has organized neighborhood watches during the entire summer on Sheridan in the Margage to Lawrence corridor - and Richard Thale and the 23rd district police - who organized a positive loitering event on September 4  at Sheridan and Lawrence.  I attended the positive loitering event at Sheridan and Lawrence and was impressed by the residents who came out to promote safety in Uptown.  I am happy to help any resident that would like to organize a positive loitering or neighborhood watch event work with their neighbors and the police to put together an event of your own.   Read more about the recent Sheridan and Lawrence event in Time Out Chicago.
  • CAPS meetings - This summer, staff from my office attended CAPS beat 2311, 2312, and 2313 meetings and my staff will continue to make as many CAPS meetings as possible.  I attended the CAPS beat 2312 meeting this month following the video taped incident near Leland and Sheridan last month. 
  • Businesses - Our office circulated letters regarding CAPS and Uptown Business Partners public safety initiatives addressed to all of the owners of businesses on Wilson Avenue to get business involvement in Uptown Public Safety initiatives. 
  • Tabling - Our office has tabled with State Representative Greg Harris's office on Wilson Avenue for three weeks as part of a positive loitering effort.  I hope to hold a regular series of office hours outside in the Uptown area next summer as well to assist with positive loitering
  • Bad buildings-  My office has been alerted to buildings in the
    Uptown area that for multiple reasons may be used for criminal
    activity.  My staff has attended meetings about several buildings in the area to try to identify solutions to any criminal activity that is occurring there.  Further, I am committed to addressing safety issues in any state funded buildings in the area.
  • Mental Health Nursing Homes - My office has been working with Alderman Smith's office and mental health advocates to address issues with many of the mental health nursing homes in the district.  These facilities often do not provide appropriate care for the mentally ill and also do not properly supervise residents, who may panhandle or commit other crimes.  I am working with the state to improve accountability at these facilities.
 
Please contact me with any questions or comments you may have about public safety issues in the 7th district.  I have placed more information about CAPS meetings in the district on my website community calendar.