Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Energy and the Environment
Durbin Statement On Biden Administration's Announcement To Ban Russian Oil Imports
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, released the following statement after the Biden Administration announced a ban to Russian oil imports: "I applaud the Biden Administration's announcement to ban Russian oil imports. We cannot continue to purchase millions of barrels of oil to help fund Putin's unprovoked and unjustified war. This is another important step in tightening economic pressure on Putin and his cowardly enablers and h… Continue Reading
03.02.22
Durbin Talks Clean Energy With Illinois Municipal Electric And Utilities Association
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met virtually with Illinois members of the Illinois Municipal Electric/Utilities Association (IEMA/IMUA) to discuss clean energy tax incentives, climate change policy, and grid security. During their conversation, Durbin spoke about the importance of transitioning the power sector to carbon-free energy sources and the urgent need to secure the United States' electrical grid from cybersecurity threats. "Today, I had a great disc… Continue Reading
02.18.22
Durbin, Manchin, Barrasso, And Blackburn Introduce DOE Science For The Future Act Of 2022
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, John Barrasso (R-WY), Ranking Member of the Committee, and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced the Department of Energy (DOE) Science for the Future Act of 2022. This bipartisan legislation strengthens our nation's investment in world-leading scientific research by providing the first-ever comprehensive authorization for the DOE's Office of Sc… Continue Reading
02.03.22
Durbin Joins Bipartisan Letter To President Biden Urging Funding For PFAS Research And Remediation In FY2023 Budget Request
WASHINGTON -This week, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Susan Collins (R-ME) to send a bipartisan letter urging President Biden to prioritize robust funding to combat per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the fiscal year (FY) 2023 budget request to Congress. The letter asks for funding to support agencies and programs that will help close gaps in PFAS research, protect public health and the environment from PFAS contamination, an… Continue Reading
01.07.22
Durbin, Markey, Bowman, Schakowsky Urge Biden Administration To Protect Consumers From Unfairly High Heating And Energy Prices This Winter
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Congressman Jamaal Bowman (D-NY-16), and Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-9) in a bicameral letter to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Chairman Richard Glick urging the agency to use its authority to protect consumers from unfairly high energy costs. "We write to express our concern in regard to the effect that anticipated increases in heating and energy costs will have on our con… Continue Reading
12.22.21
Durbin, Duckworth, Members Of Delegation Call On Amazon To Review Safety Procedures Following Collapse Of Edwardsville Warehouse
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with U.S. Representatives Bobby Rush (D-IL-01), Robin Kelly (D-IL-02), Marie Newman (D-IL-03), Jesús "Chuy" García (D-IL-04), Mike Quigley (D-IL-05), Sean Casten (D-IL-06), Danny Davis (D-IL-07), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Brad Schneider (D-IL-10), Bill Foster (D-IL-11), Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14), and Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17) today sent a letter to Ama… Continue Reading
12.09.21
Durbin Meets With Navajo Nation On America's Red Rock Wilderness Act, Protecting Land In Utah
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) met virtually with members of the Navajo Nation and the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance to discuss building support for Durbin's America's Red Rock Wilderness Act, which would protect 8.4 million acres of land in Utah that is rich in archaeological resources and home to numerous rare plant and animal species. During their conversation, Durbin heard about the importance of the landscape and cultural resources in the Utah lands to the Nav… Continue Reading
11.30.21
Durbin, Duckworth Urge Biden To Designate Cahokia Mounds As Unit Of National Park System
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth today sent a letter to President Biden urging him to use his authority under the Antiquities Act to incorporate the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site under the National Park System and offer additional protections for the ancient mounds in St. Clair and Madison counties. In their letter, the Senators call back to Durbin's 2014 request for the National Park Service (NPS) to conduct a reconnaissance study t… Continue Reading
11.18.21
Durbin Delivers Speech At Environmental Law And Policy Center Forum
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined the Environmental Law & Policy Center's (ELPC) monthly forum, ELPC Thinks, to deliver a speech highlighting the impact the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will make by investing in climate solutions, clean renewable energy, and clean transportation solutions. During his speech, Durbin spoke about the rich, natural resources the Midwest is home to, including the Great Lakes, and touched on how the federal… Continue Reading
11.04.21
Durbin: COP26 Is An Opportunity For The U.S. To Take Bold Steps Addressing Climate Crisis
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke on the Senate floor about the global significance of the United States' participation in the U.N.'s 26th Conference of Parties (COP26) climate summit in Glasgow. In his remarks, Durbin praised President Biden for reaffirming the U.S.' position as a global leader in the fight against climate change. "This gathering is an opportunity for the United States and our allies to come together - for the first time in years- around a … Continue Reading
11.03.21
Durbin, Duckworth Introduce Bill To Designate New Philadelphia, Illinois A National Historical Park
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) this week introduced legislation that would designate the original town of New Philadelphia, Illinois, as a National Historical Park. New Philadelphia, now incorporated into Barry, Illinois, in Pike County, was the first town platted and legally registered by an African American, Frank McWorter. Founded in 1836, New Philadelphia's population peaked in 1865 as home to 29 households and 160 people. By 188… Continue Reading
10.13.21
Durbin Statement On Appointment Of Debra Shore To Lead EPA Region 5
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after the Biden Administration announced that Debra Shore, current Chicago Metropolitan Water District Commissioner and Illinois resident, will be appointed to lead U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 5: "EPA Region 5 is home to some of the Midwest's greatest assets, including the Great Lakes. But protecting our precious resources from persistent air, water, and land pollution issues … Continue Reading
09.23.21
Durbin Meets With CEO Climate Dialogue
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met virtually with the CEO Climate Dialogue, a large group of companies and environmental groups that support carbon pricing as a means to combat climate change. During the meeting, Durbin spoke about his legislation, America's Clean Future Fund Act. Durbin's legislation would reduce carbon emissions and accelerate the U.S. transition to a green economy by leveraging revenue raised by a carbon fee to fund a new federal agency calle… Continue Reading
08.31.21
Durbin Joins Environmental Leaders For Discussion On Clean Energy, Infrastructure
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met virtually with leaders of Illinois environmental groups to discuss the state's clean energy and infrastructure priorities. On the call, Durbin provided details on the passed budget resolution and suggested provisions in the upcoming reconciliation bill, including a Clean Electricity Payment Program (CEPP), which would pay utilities to produce more clean energy each year. Durbin and the environmental leaders went on to discuss t… Continue Reading
08.03.21
Durbin: We Must Protect Communities From "Forever Chemicals" Contamination
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke on the Senate floor about a recent story in the Chicago Sun-Times that revealed the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) - also known as "forever chemicals" - in water systems in Chicago, Lake Forest, Waukegan, and South Elgin. Durbin called on the Senate to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal, which includes $10 billion to address PFAS and other emerging contaminants in drinking water and wastewater, wit… Continue Reading
07.23.21
Durbin, Senators Urge President Biden To Restore Bears Ears National Monument
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today led his colleagues U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Patty Murray (D-WA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) in sending a letter to President Biden urging him to restore the boundaries of the Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears National Monuments using his authority under the Antiquities Act. Under the previous administr… Continue Reading
07.20.21
Durbin, Duckworth Urge Forest Service To Review Shawnee National Forest For Wilderness Designation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Agriculture, Forestry, and Nutrition Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today sent a letter to the U.S. Forest Service requesting that the lands of the Shawnee National Forest be reviewed to determine if areas of the forest meet the requirements to be considered for wilderness protection. U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) and U.S. Representative John Curtis (R-UT-03) introduced the Shawnee Wilderness … Continue Reading
07.19.21
Durbin Meets With U.S. EPA Administrator Michael Regan About Region 5 Priorities
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met virtually with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan to discuss Durbin's priorities for EPA's Region 5, which includes Illinois. On the call, Durbin followed up on his March request that EPA update the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) using the best available science and that any stakeholder outreach include Chicago or Illinois to ensure that all Illinoisans have access to clean, lead-free water. Durbi… Continue Reading
06.30.21
Durbin: Equity In Great Lakes Restoration Initiative A Key Part Of Protecting Our Lake
CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined the Alliance for the Great Lakes and State Representative Kam Buckner (D-26) in Chicago to discuss efforts to prioritize historically marginalized and underserved communities in projects to restore and protect the Great Lakes. Durbin is calling on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to take concrete steps to prioritize low-income and communities of color within the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) - an inter-agency effort… Continue Reading
05.28.21
Durbin, Duckworth, Schneider Introduce Bill To Update Ethylene Oxide Emissions Standards
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL-10) introduced a bicameral bill that would require the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to update ethylene oxide (EtO) emissions standards to reflect the stricter criteria outlined in a 2016 EPA study. Under the bill, any updates to the emissions standards would have to incorporate the maximum achievable control technology requirements to exhaust… Continue Reading