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Mayors, trustees, and staff from 80 communities serve on this committee which guides the implementation of the Greenest Region Compact at the regional level. In collaboration with regional, state and federal agencies, and non-governmental leaders, the Environment and Energy Committee effectively addresses policy and program development for consensus GRC goals most impactful for municipalities.

The Committee has focused on priority areas such as clean energy policy, especially solar energy; protecting water resources; electronic waste disposal; and climate.

The Environment and Energy Committee meets monthly over Zoom and sometimes in various locations throughout the metropolitan region.

Chairman: Kevin Burns, Mayor, City of Geneva

Staff Contacts
Edith Makra, Director of Environmental Initiatives
Cheryl Scott, Senior Sustainability Specialist

Environment and Energy Committee Meetings

2026 Upcoming Meetings

March 17, 2026, Engaging Residents on Sustainability and Inspiring Behavioral Change, 9:30-11 a.m., online meeting.

May (date TBD), Sustainability Social, Lilacia Park, Lombard

2026 Past Meetings

Feb. 17, 2026, The Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability (CRGA) Act, 9:30-11 a.m., online meeting. Meeting materials here.

Jan. 20, 2026, E-Mobility Devices – Opportunities and Challenges, 9:30-11 a.m., online meeting. Meeting materials here.

2025 Past Meetings

Dec. 4, 2025, Sustainability Social, in-person event.

Nov. 18, 2025, Recycling Education and Outreach Campaign Update, 9:30-11 a.m., online meeting. Meeting materials here.

Oct. 21 2025, Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP), 9:30-11 a.m., online meeting. Meeting materials here.

Sept. 16, 2025, Data Center Impacts, 9:30-11 a.m., online meeting. Meeting materials here.

July 31, 2025, Environment Committee’s first Sustainability Social, in-person event.

June 17, 2025, Recycling Education and Outreach Campaign: Recycling Assessment and Updates, 9:30-11 a.m., online meeting. Meeting materials here.

May 20, 2025, Fix It! Organizing a Community Repair Café, 9:30-11 a.m., online meeting. Meeting materials here.

April 15, 2025, Code Adoption and Compliance for Sustainability, 9:30-11 a.m., online meeting. Meeting materials here.

March 18, 2025, Birds, Bees, Blooms, and Trees – Earning Community Distinction for Conservation, 9:30-11 a.m., online meeting. Meeting materials here.

Feb. 18, 2025, Topic: Dark Skies, 9:30-11 a.m., online meeting. Meeting materials here.

Jan. 29, 2025, Recycle Coach Webinar, 10-11 a.m., online meeting. Meeting materials here.

Jan. 21, 2025, Monarch Conservation in Urban and Suburban Communities, 9:30-11 a.m., online meeting. Meeting materials here.

2024 Past Meetings

Dec. 17, 2024, Solar Incentives and Program Updates, 9:30-11 a.m., online meeting. Meeting materials here.

Nov. 19, 2024, Challenge of Increasing the Recycling Rate, What Communities Can Do, 9:30-11 a.m., online meeting. Meeting materials here.

Oct. 15, 2024, Roundtable of Your Sustainability Successes and Challenges, 9:30-11 a.m., online meeting. Meeting materials here.

Sept. 24, 2024, Developing a Regional Strategy for Net-Zero GHG Emissions, 9:30-11 a.m., online meeting. Meeting materials here.

July 16, 2024, ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager and Other Tools for Municipalities to Benchmark Their Buildings, 9:30-11 a.m., online meeting. Meeting materials here.

June 18, 2024, Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (EJ TCTACs) and EPA Community Change Grants, 9:30-11 a.m., online meeting. Meeting materials here.

May 21, 2024, Workshop – Grants for Climate and Energy Planning, 2-3:30 p.m., online meeting. Meeting materials here.

May 21, 2024, Organizing and Institutionalizing Local Sustainability – A National Perspective and Local Lessons, 9:30-11 a.m. (new time), online meeting. Meeting materials here.

April 16, 2024, Extreme Heat, online meeting. Meeting materials here.

March 19, 2024, Regional Air Quality and Municipal Influence, online meeting. Meeting materials here.

Feb. 20, 2024, IRA Incentives, Rebates, and Direct Pay, online meeting. Meeting materials here.

Jan. 16, 2024, Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) Project Ideas, online meeting. Meeting materials here.

2023 Meetings

Dec. 18, 2023, CPRG Climate Action Townhall, online meeting. Meeting materials here.

Nov. 14, 2023, Argonne’s CROCUS (Community Research on Climate and Urban Science), online meeting. Meeting materials here.

Oct. 17, 2023, Environmental Justice, online meeting. Meeting materials here.

Sept. 19, 2023, Climate Action Museum Tour, in-person meeting. Meeting materials here.

Aug. 15, 2023, Clean Energy Options for Municipal Buildings – Which is Best for Your Community?, online meeting. Meeting materials here.

July 18, 2023, Enabling Active Transportation: Tools, Capacity, and Barriers, online meeting. Meeting materials here.

June 20, 2023, Tour the First Net Zero Government Building in the State, in-person meeting. Meeting materials here.

May 16, 2023, EPA Support for Climate Planning at Scale and Illinois Climate Bank, online meeting. Meeting materials here.

April 18, 2023, Updated SolSmart Program, Renewable Energy Siting, and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) Planning and Reporting, online meeting. Meeting materials here.

March 21, 2023, Geothermal Energy, online meeting. Meeting materials here.

Feb. 21, 2023, Revenue from Nature: The Chicago Region Carbon Program and StormStore, online meeting. Meeting materials here.

Jan. 17, 2023, State Stretch Codes, online meeting. Meeting materials here.

2022 Meetings

Nov. 15, 2022, The Evolution of the Natural Gas Industry.
Meeting Agenda, Presentations: Fueling a Sustainable Future – Nicor Gas (Tomczak, Surina, King)
Resources: GTI Energy Annual Report 2021, GTI Energy Hydrogen Technology Center, Illinois Decarbonization Fact Sheet – Dusault

Oct. 12, 2022, Energy Subcommittee meeting, topics: Various, including Energy Academy, Community-Based Community Solar, Income Qualified Energy Efficiency Programs, Preparing for Solar Growth in Illinois With SolarAPP+, Strategic Energy Management for Industrial Areas, and Energy Revolution exhibit; online meeting
Meeting Agenda, Recording, Energy Update – Energy Academy and Community-Driven Community Solar – Pruitt, Income Qualified Energy Efficiency Programs – Makra, Solar Growth in Illinois With SolarAPP+ – Albrecht, Strategic Energy Management for Large Industrial and Commercial Businesses – Mollenkamp

Oct. 13, 2022, Where the Sidewalk Ends: The Future of ADA Transition Planning in the Chicago Region, part of an event series called Taking Climate Action by Prioritizing Walking, Biking, and Transit, which is a collaboration between MPC, ATA, and the Caucus

Sept. 20, 2022, Local Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Legislation, online meeting
Meeting Agenda, Recording, Presentations: CMAP Regional GHG Emissions Inventory – Patton, Illinois EPR for Paper and Packaging Products-Draft Bill Overview – Willis, Harris

Aug. 16, 2022, Natural Solutions – Green Infrastructure for Equitable Climate Mitigation and Adaptation, online meeting
Meeting Agenda, Recording, Presentations: Introduction to the Chicago-Calumet River Watershed Council Initiative – Flickinger, Grassfield; Natural Solutions Tool Overview – O’Boyle, Schottland, and Tavernia; e-JUST – Environmental Justice using Urban Scalable Toolkit – Sharma
Resources: Natural Solutions Tool Flyer

Aug. 12, 2022, Brookfield on Foot: A Guided Walking Tour of Bicycle/Pedestrian Projects, part of an event series called Taking Climate Action by Prioritizing Walking, Biking, and Transit, which is a collaboration between MPC, ATA, and the Caucus

Aug. 9, 2022, Environmental Justice, joint meeting of the Environment Committee and the Diversity Issues Task Force, online
Meeting Agenda, Recording, Presentations/resources: Diversity Issues Task Force Updates – Friedman; e-JUST Scalable Urban Toolkit – presentation – Sharma, article on the e-JUST Scalable Urban Toolkit; EJ in the Greenest Region Compact and Climate Action Plan – Makra; Climate Change, Health, and Environmental Justice: The Climate and Health Institute at UIC School of Public Health – Grossman

July 19, 2022, Leading Healthy Communities – Move With the Mayor, online meeting
Meeting Invitation, Meeting Agenda, Recording, Presentations: Move With the Mayor – Childress, Snyder; Implementing Transportation Elements of the Climate Action Plan – Advancing Bicycle, Pedestrian and Transit-Oriented Development – Wennink, Czerwinski

July 14, 2022, Show Me the Money!: Bringing Active Transportation Funding to Your Community, part of an event series called Taking Climate Action by Prioritizing Walking, Biking, and Transit, which is a collaboration between the Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC), the Active Transportation Alliance (ATA), and the Caucus
Recording

June 22, 2022, Connected & Climate-Resilient: A Virtual Panel on Community and Transit-Oriented Development, part of a webinar series called Taking Climate Action by Prioritizing Walking, Biking, and Transit, which is a collaboration between the Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC), the Active Transportation Alliance (ATA), and the Caucus
Recording

June 21, 2022, Utility Energy Efficiency Plans and Programs, online meeting
Meeting Invitation, Meeting Agenda, Recording, Presentations: Illinois Energy Law Impacts & ComEd Energy Efficiency Portfolio – McNish, Populorum and Halliburton; Nicor Gas Portfolio Overview – King; North Shore Gas and Peoples Gas Energy Efficiency Overview and Programs – Garcia

May 3, 2022, EV Readiness Program Preview, a conference session at the Green Drives Conference and Expo
Meeting Agenda, Presentation slides for three PowerPoint files: Why We Need to Be “EV Ready” – Milburn, EV Readiness Program Overview – Scott, Developing Pathways to EV Readiness – Makra

April 28, 2022, Perspectives on Planning: A Webinar on Developing Community Bicycle/Pedestrian Plans, part of a webinar series called Taking Climate Action by Prioritizing Walking, Biking, and Transit, which is a collaboration between the Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC), the Active Transportation Alliance (ATA), and the Caucus
Meeting Invitation, Recording

March 17, 2022, SolSmart Ceremony for 10 Newly Designated Communities, online meeting
Meeting Invitation, Recording

March 15, 2022, Recycling – Beyond Municipal Solid Waste Programs, online meeting
Meeting Invitation, Meeting Agenda, Recording, Presentations: Overview of EPA’s Circular Economy Strategy Series and How You Can Join the Effort – Newman, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): Benefits and Opportunities for Managing Waste and Recycling in IL – Harris, Commercial Franchising Overview – Willis

Feb. 15, 2022, Sustainable Salting, online meeting
Meeting Invitation, Meeting Agenda, Recording, Presentations: Road Salt; Water Quality Trends & Regulations in NE Illinois – McCracken, Levels of Service and Their Impacts on Salt Use – Nixon, Snow and Ice Operations in Carol Stream – Pauling, Time Limited Water Quality Standard for Chloride – Miller

Jan. 18, 2022, CEJA and IIJA, online meeting
Meeting Invitation, Meeting Agenda, Recording, Presentations: CEJA and IIJA Update by The Power Bureau – Pruitt, Transportation Electrification: Federal and Illinois Policies & Programs – Milburn, What Now? Rules, Programs, and Opportunities for Engagement – Makra
Resources: Overview of the impacts of IIJA on local governments – by the National Association of Counties (NACo), IIJA – Funding and Policy Overview for Transportation Sections by CMAP; Durbin-Duckworth Summary of Illinois Wins in the IIJA; The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Will Deliver for Illinois by U.S. DOT; Energy Efficiency Gets a Raise Through Historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act by Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance-Caloras; What does the infrastructure bill mean for Illinois? by Metropolitan Planning Council-Wennink

2021 Meetings

Dec. 14, 2021, Regional Transit Planning, online meeting
Meeting Invitation, Meeting Agenda, Recording, Presentations: Implementing Climate Action Plan (CAP) Transportation Strategies: Transit – Wennink, RTA Strategic Plan Workshop – Meyer, Kersten

Nov. 16, 2021, Building Energy Policies and CEJA, online meeting
Meeting Invitation, Meeting Agenda, Recording, Presentation: Building Energy Policies and Municipal Opportunities in Illinois – Burk, LeZaks, Lindburg

Oct. 19, 2021, Climate Adaptation Using the Steps to Resilience, online meeting
Meeting Invitation, Meeting Agenda, Recording, Presentations: Adaptation Using the Steps to Resilience – Dr. Gardiner, City of Geneva Comprehensive Stormwater Study – Babica, Chismark

Aug. 17, 2021, Municipal Engagement with the Climate Action Plan for the Chicago Region, online meeting
Meeting Agenda, Recording

Presentations:

July 13, 2021, Launch Event for the 2021 Climate Action Plan for the Chicago Region, online meeting, open to the public, co-hosted by Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC)
Meeting Agenda, Recording, slides for presentation of the climate action plan – Makra, Gardiner

June 22, 2021, GRCorps Presentations, online meeting
Meeting Invitation, Meeting Agenda, Recording

Presentations:

May 12, 2021, Pending Energy Legislation, online meeting
Meeting Invitation, Meeting Agenda

Presentations:

April 20, 2021, Climate Communications, online meeting
Meeting Invitation, Meeting Agenda, Recording

Presentations:

Resources from ecoAmerica:

March 16, 2021, Building Energy Policies and Municipal Opportunities in Illinois, online meeting
Meeting Invitation, Meeting Agenda, Recording
Presentations: Mayors Caucus Context Setting for Building Codes and Policies – Makra, Building Energy Policies and Municipal Opportunities in Illinois – Lindburg, Burk
Handouts: Building Performance Standards, Stretch Codes

Feb. 16, 2021, Community Engagement on Sustainability – Earth Day 2021, online meeting
Meeting Invitation, Meeting Agenda, Recording

Presentations:

Jan. 19, 2021, Sustainability Roundtable, online meeting
Meeting Invitation, Meeting Agenda, Recording

Presentations:

2020 Meetings

Dec. 15, 2020, Community Solar Clearinghouse Solutions (CS2) Program for Residents, online meeting
Meeting Invitation, Meeting Agenda, Presentation 1 – The Power Bureau, Presentation 2 – MC Squared

Nov. 17, 2020, Topics: EV Readiness Tools/Residential Energy Efficiency and Energy Savings, online meeting
Meeting Invitation, Meeting Agenda, EV Readiness Tools Presentation, Residential Energy Efficiency and Energy Savings: Presentation 1 – Caucus, Presentation 2 – Citizens Utility Board (CUB)

Oct. 20, 2020, Regional Climate Plan Preview, online meeting
Meeting Invitation, Meeting Agenda, Regional Climate Plan Preview Presentation

Sept. 22, 2020, Energy Policy Update, online meeting
Meeting Agenda, Energy Policy Presentation, ISEIF Grant Presentation

Aug. 18-19, 2020, Greenest Region Corps (GRCorps) Presentations, online meetings
Meeting Agenda, Recording of Aug. 18 Meeting, Recording of Aug. 19 Meeting

Aug. 18 Presentations:

Aug. 19 Presentations:

May 22 to June 12, 2020, Regional Climate Planning Workshops – Climate Adaptation Focus

February 18, 2020, Recycling Collection and Market Impacts, City of Elmhurst  Meeting Invitation, Meeting Agenda
Presentations:
Recycling Markets and Impact on Municipal Hauling Contracts –  SWALCO/SWANCC – Willis and Van Vooren
New International Requirements for Exports and Imports of Plastic Scrap – U.S. EPA, Newman
Material Recovery Facility (MRF) Perspective – Lakeshore Recycling Systems, Connell
Conducting a Waste Audit/SWALCO’s Cart Tagging Program – Lake County/SWALCO, Obrez and Klee

January 21, 2020, Regional Climate Planning Workshop, Village of Montgomery  Meeting Invitation, Meeting Agenda, Presentation

2019 Meetings

December 9, 2019, Regional Climate Planning Workshop (Itasca, IL) Meeting Invitation, Meeting Agenda, Presentation

November 12, 2019, EV Ready Listening Session Kickoff, Village of Oak Park  Meeting Invitation, Meeting Agenda, Presentation

October 8, 2019, Regional Climate Planning Kickoff (Chicago, IL) Meeting Invitation, Meeting Agenda, Presentation, Meeting Notes

August 6, 2019, GRC Framework Workshop, Village of Grayslake Meeting Invitation, Meeting Agenda, Presentation, Framework Workbook

July 18, 2019, GRC Framework Workshop, City of Highland Park, Meeting Invitation, Meeting Agenda, Presentation, Framework workbook

June 26, 2019, IL Center for Urban Resilience and Environmental Sustainability (University of Illinois, Chicago) Meeting Invitation, Meeting Agenda, Presentation

May 9, 2019, SolSmart  Designation Ceremony and Argonne National Lab tour (Lemont, IL), Program

April 16, 2019, Sustainable Park Forest (Park Forest, IL)
Meeting Agenda
Presentations – Park Forest and Sustainability– Ostenburg

March 13, 2019, Building Energy Codes (Alsip, IL)
Meeting description
Meeting Agenda
Presentations – GRC Energy Goals – Makra;  Energy Efficiency Codes Coalition – Fay;  IECC – Plass; Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance – Lindberg

February 19, 2019, Air Quality (Chicago, IL)
Meeting Agenda
Meeting Materials

January 22, 2019, Sustainable Paving, (Downers Grove, IL)

Meeting Description
Meeting Agenda
Presentation Warm Mix Asphalt Overview -Makra for-EPA, Presentation WMA Tollway -Williams, Presentation Asphalt Sustainability- Burke

Warm Mix Asphalt Reference documents
Warm Mix Asphalt, WMA summary memo EPA, IDOT Special Provision Memo WMA, Illinois Tollway WMA research, WMA vendors Tollway approved, SP_Tollway_Stone Matrix WMA spec, SP_Tollway_Asphalt Mixture Spec IL4.75, SP_Tollway_Asphalt Binder_Surface Course Mix_spec

Agency documents WMA
Highland Park Warm Mix Asphalt, Schaumburg 2019 HMA SP

2018 Meetings

December 17, 2018, Food Waste (Geneva, IL)
Meeting Agenda, Presentation 1

October 29, 2018, Becoming EV Ready (Warrenville, IL)
Meeting Agenda
Presentation 1, Presentation 2, Presentation 3, Presentation 4, Presentation 5

September 19, 2018, 100% Renewable Energy Goals and GRC Tracking and Reporting Update (Park Ridge, IL)
Meeting Agenda
Presentation 1, Presentation 2, Presentation 3

July 9, 2018, Municipal Role in Solar Development (Romeoville, IL)
Meeting Agenda
Presentation 1, Presentation 2, Presentation 3

June 19, 2018, Next Steps for GRC – Tracking Results (Chicago, IL)
Meeting Agenda
Presentation 1, Presentation 2, Presentation 3, Presentation 4, Presentation 5, Presentation 6, Presentation 7

May 15, 2018, Utility Franchise Agreements and Clean Energy (Brookfield, IL)
Meeting Agenda
Presentation

April 3, 2018, Green Fleets –  VW Mitigation Plan (Palos Hills, IL)
Meeting Agenda
Presentation 1, Presentation 2, Presentation 3, Presentation 4

March 20, 2018, Smart Cities (Chicago, IL)
Meeting Agenda
Presentation

February 20, 2018, Recycling Collection and Marketing Impacts (Grayslake, IL)
Meeting Agenda
Presentation 1, Presentation 2

January 16, 2018, Climate Action (Homer Glen, IL)
Meeting Agenda
Presentation

2017 Meetings

October 16, 2017, Large Scale Green Infrastructure (Wood Dale, IL)
Meeting Agenda

September 19, 2017, Regional Sustainability Organization (Oak Brook, IL)
Meeting Agenda
Presentation 1, Presentation 2, Presentation 3, Presentation 4

July 11, 2017, Sustainability Roundtable (Chicago, IL)
Meeting Agenda
Presentation 1, Presentation 2, Presentation 3, Presentation 4, Presentation 5, Presentation 6, Presentation 7

May 15, 2017, Energy Policy (Palos Hills, IL)
Meeting Agenda
Presentation 1, Presentation 2

April 18, 2017, Sustainability Planning Using the GRC2 Framework (Hanover Park, IL)
Meeting Agenda
Presentation 1, Presentation 2

March 21, 2017, Monarch Butterfly Conservation (Chicago, IL)
Meeting Agenda
Presentation 1, Presentation 2, Presentation 3, Presentation 4

February 21, 2017, Active and Healthy Lifestyle Programs (West Chicago, IL)
Meeting Agenda
Presentation 1, Presentation 2

January 19, 2017, Advancing Solar Energy Development in Your Community (Schaumburg, IL)
Meeting Agenda
Presentation 1, Presentation 2, Presentation 3, Presentation 4

2016 Meetings

November 29, 2016, Alternative Fuel for Municipal Fleets (Des Plaines, IL)
Meeting Agenda
Presentation 1

October 18, 2016, Energy Efficiency (Chicago, IL)
Meeting Agenda
Presentation 1, Presentation 2, Presentation 3

September 27, 2016, Electronics Recycling (Geneva, IL)
Meeting Agenda
Presentation 1

July 19, 2016, Green Infrastructure (Niles, IL)
Meeting Agenda
Presentation 1, Presentation 2

June 21, 2016, Solar Opportunities for Local Communities (Alsip, IL)
Meeting Agenda

May 17, 2016, Developing Community Identity and Brand (Lombard, IL)
Meeting Agenda
Presentation 1

April 19, 2016, Greenest Region Compact 2/Land Preservation (Orland Park, IL)
Meeting Agenda
Presentation 1

February 16, 2016, Climate Change and the Clean Power Plan (Joliet, IL)
Meeting Agenda
Presentation 1, Presentation 2

January 19, 2016, Environment Committee Members Forum (Franklin Park, IL)
Meeting Agenda

2015 Meetings

November 17, 2015, Greenest Region Compact 2 (Lombard, IL)
Meeting Agenda

October 29, 2015. Stormwater Management and Sustainable Solutions (Chicago, IL)
Meeting Agenda

September 15, 2015, Clean Energy (East Hazel Crest, IL)
Meeting Agenda
Presentation 1

August 26, 2015, Local Government Partnerships with Argonne (Lemont, IL)
Meeting Agenda

June 16, 2015, Invasive Species (Hoffman Estates)
Meeting Agenda
Presentation 1

March 17, 2015, Invasive Species (Romeoville, IL)
Meeting Agenda
Presentation 1, Presentation 2

January 27, 2015, Greenest Region Compact 2/Green Municipal Operations (East Hazel Crest, IL)
Meeting Agenda
Presentation 1, Presentation 2