Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Energy and the Environment
Durbin, Kirk Express Support of Quincy Appeal
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) today sent a letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) supporting the City of Quincy's appeal of the Commission's decision to dismiss the a permit application for the hydroelectric power plant at Lock and Dam 21. "We are writing to express our strong support for the City of Quincy's (Illinois) proposed hydroprower project and to urge the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to grant their request … Continue Reading
03.13.11
Durbin: $4 Gas Prices are a Wake-Up Call for Nation
[Chicago, IL] "Our addiction to oil is costing American families millions at the gas pump while enslaving us to political dictators in the Middle East and North Africa," U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today. "These rapidly rising prices are a wake-up call for our nation." Gas prices are nearing a two-year high and continue to rise. Here in Chicago, prices are pushing $4 per gallon in many spots and have risen by 11 percent-36 cents-in just the last month. "Working families just sta… Continue Reading
03.03.11
Great Lakes Lawmakers Introduce Legislation to Stop Asian Carp
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) introduced legislation in the Senate, and Congressman Dave Camp (R-MI) introduced legislation in the House, to prevent Asian carp and other invasive species from entering the Great Lakes through the Chicago Waterway. The Stop Asian Carp Act will require the speedy creation of an action plan to permanently separate Lake Michigan from the Chicago Area Waterway System, where experts believe Asian Carp could ente… Continue Reading
03.02.11
Durbin, Kirk and Delegation Call on President to Provide Federal Relief for 74 Illinois Counties
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) were joined by the entire Illinois Congressional Delegation late last night in requesting that President Obama declare 74 Illinois counties - affected by a severe winter storm and snowstorm that began on January 31, 2011, and continued through February 11, 2011 - federal disaster areas. A Presidential disaster declaration would allow cities and counties to apply for federal reimbursements to help pay for storm damag… Continue Reading
03.01.11
Durbin: House Republican Cuts to Great Lakes Funding Would Hurt Asian Carp Prevention Efforts
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In a meeting with the President's Special Assistant for the Great Lakes, Cam Davis, and Chairman of the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee, John Goss, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today vowed to work to protect funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. The Continuing Resolution (H.R.1) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, passed by the House of Representatives cuts funding for the Initiative by $250 million - from $475 million to $225 million - which, according t… Continue Reading
02.21.11
Durbin Announces Federal Funding for Communities Infested by Emerald Ash Borer
[CHICAGO, IL] - Municipalities across Chicagoland will receive much needed federal assistance to manage and recover from the emerald ash borer (EAB) infestation, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today. More than $1 million in federal funding is being distributed to fifty-eight communities in Illinois through a competitive grant program spearheaded by the Morton Arboretum and Metropolitan Mayors Caucus (MMC). The funding was made available through the US Forest Service, State and Private Fo… Continue Reading
02.18.11
Durbin Says House Cuts to Labs Would be Devastating; Vows to Continue Funding for Innovative Research in Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today sent letters to Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Energy & Water Appropriations Subcommittee, of which he is a member, warning that the funding cuts proposed by the House Republicans in their continuing resolution (H.R. 1) would have a devastating impact on our entire national laboratory system. Durbin vowed to work with the committee to ensure that labs - including Fermilab and Argonne National Laboratory which stand to los… Continue Reading
01.26.11
Kirk and Durbin Co-Sponsor Legislation to Stop Dumping in Great Lakes
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In a display of bi-partisanship, Illinois' two U.S. senators-Republican Mark Kirk and Democrat Dick Durbin-introduced legislation in Congress late last night to protect the Great Lakes from sewage dumping into the lakes. The Great Lakes Water Protection Act would increase fines to up to $100,000 a day per violation by 2031, providing communities 20 years to upgrade their sewage treatment facilities. Currently, fines are capped at $37,500 a day. Money collected from f… Continue Reading
12.22.10
Durbin Commends EPA for Swift Action on Chromium-6 Report
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today commended the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for taking swift action to provide communities cited in the Environmental Working Group study on chromium-6 in tap water with assistance for additional testing. Earlier today the EPA announced a series of actions that the agency will take over the coming days to address chromium-6 in our drinking water. This announcement follows a meeting in Durbin's Washington, DC, office between Admi… Continue Reading
12.20.10
Durbin Statement on Four Remaining Communities in Competition for FutureGen 2.0
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today made the following statement after the FutureGen Alliance announced that four communities - Christian County, Douglas County, Fayette County and Morgan County - will advance to the next stage of the competition to host the FutureGen 2.0 carbon dioxide (CO2) storage site, visitor center, research, and training facilities. The FutureGen 2.0 project and pipeline network is expected to bring 1,000 jobs to downstate Illinois and another 1,000… Continue Reading
11.16.10
Durbin Statement on Announcement of Six Illinois Communities Eligible to Host FutureGen 2.0
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after learning that the competition to host the storage site for FutureGen 2.0 has moved into the next phase after six Illinois communities - City of Quincy, Christian County, Douglas County, City of Tuscola, Morgan County, Pike County and City of Vandalia - submitted full proposals to the FutureGen Alliance. The storage site will receive and store carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from an upgraded power pla… Continue Reading
10.28.10
Durbin Announces Nearly $7.7 Million in DOT Funding for Illinois Green Transportation Projects
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that four Illinois public transit projects will receive a total of $7,696,184 in funding through the Department of Transportation's Transportation Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction (TIGGER) II and Clean Fuels grant programs. This funding is part of $156.2 million made available by the Department of Transportation to encourage transit projects that promote the usage and development of energy efficient techn… Continue Reading
10.06.10
Durbin: FutureGen 2.0 Site Selection Process an Opportunity for Illinois Communities to Lead Nation in Technology and Job Creation
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) called the announcement of a competitive site selection process for FutureGen 2.0 an exciting opportunity for Illinois communities to be on the forefront of clean coal research and technology. Earlier today, the FutureGen Industrial Alliance announced details of a process that will lead to the selection of an Illinois site for the storage of carbon dioxide (CO2) collected at an Ameren Energy Resources power plant in Meredosia, Illinois. The F… Continue Reading
07.22.10
Durbin: Senate Committee Approves More Than $134 Million In Energy And Water Funding For Illinois
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today said that the Senate Appropriations Committee, of which Durbin is a member, has approved $134,315,000 for energy- and water-related projects in Illinois. The Fiscal Year 2011 Energy and Water Appropriations bill includes funding for the following projects: Department of Energy City of Monmouth: $500,000 in funding for a renewable energy co-generation project that will use industrial waste to power homes and reduce the amount of gr… Continue Reading
06.15.10
Following Meeting With Labor Secretary, Durbin Calls on Peabody Energy to Explain Safety Violations at Willow Lake Mine
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on the Chairman and CEO of Peabody Energy to explain what steps the company is taking to improve safety and reduce violations of mine safety standards at Willow Lake mine near Equality, IL. Earlier, Durbin spoke with the Secretary of the Department of Labor, Hilda Solis, about the agency's decision to expedite a hearing to review several "significant and substantial" safety violations that are being contested by the company. … Continue Reading
05.19.10
Durbin, Senate Leadership Demand Immediate Inspection of all Offshore Oil Rigs
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and other Senate leaders sent a letter to President Obama today, calling for an "immediate and enhanced" inspection of all offshore drilling rigs and production platforms in the United States. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Democratic Conference Vice Chair Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Democratic Conference Secretary Patty Murray (D-WA) and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman Robert Menende… Continue Reading
04.21.10
Durbin Announces $25 Million in Recovery Act Funding for Energy Efficient Buildings in Chicago
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) will receive $25 million in funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Today's funding is part of $452 million announced by the Department of Energy for 25 projects nationwide. CMAP will use the funding to retrofit commercial buildings for increased energy efficiency in downtown Chicago and provide a range of financing and … Continue Reading
01.30.10
Governor Quinn, Senator Durbin Announce Exelon Corporation Joining FutureGen Alliance
CHICAGO - January 30, 2010. Governor Pat Quinn and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin today announced that the Exelon Corporation will join ranks alongside some of the world's largest energy corporations as a member of the FutureGen Alliance. Exelon's membership signals critical support ahead of the U.S. Department of Energy's (USDOE) pending decision to move ahead on FutureGen construction."As one of the nation's largest electric utilities and energy providers, Exelon's partnership on this project provid… Continue Reading
12.14.09
Durbin Commends Decision to Invent $13 Million in Efforts to Prevent Asian Carp From Entering Great Lakes
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today commended the decision by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Lisa Jackson, to allocate $13 million in funding through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to prevent Asian carp from migrating further toward the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is a new interagency initiative led by the EPA to address the most significant challenges to the Great Lakes including invasiv… Continue Reading
12.10.09
Durbin Announces More Than $1.3 Million in Recovery Act Funding for Energy Efficiency and Conservation in Joliet
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Department of Energy (DOE) has allocated a $1,346,400 Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) to Joliet, $94,450 of which is already available to the city, through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to help improve energy efficiency, reduce energy use and fossil fuel emissions, and create jobs locally. "Creating jobs and securing the future of our planet are two of the a… Continue Reading