Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Energy and the Environment
Durbin, Duckworth, Foster, Lipinski, Schneider, Casten, Underwood Call On EPA To Use Its Authority & Prevent Use Of Ethylene Oxide At Sterigenics
WASHINGTON - In response to an Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) report that detailed evidence that residents of Willowbrook, Illinois, have higher incidences of certain cancers associated with exposure to ethylene oxide (EtO) in comparison to the rest of the state, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representatives Bill Foster (D-IL-11), Dan Lipinski (D-IL-03), Brad Schneider (D-IL-10), Sean Casten (D-IL-06), and Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14) today urge… Continue Reading
03.26.19
Durbin: Republicans Need To Drop The Stunts And Work With Democrats To Address Climate Change
WASHINGTON - Ahead of Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-KY) sham vote in the Senate on a bill that he does not support - the Green New Deal, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called out his Republican colleagues for continuing to deny the science behind climate change and refusing to work with Democrats on a bipartisan basis to tackle this mounting crisis. "You either believe it or you don't believe it - is there such a thing as climate change? Are we going thr… Continue Reading
03.15.19
Durbin Asks CDC To Assist With Ethylene Oxide Emissions In Illinois
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today asked Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Robert Redfield to assist in efforts to protect residents of Illinois from ethylene oxide (EtO) emissions-a known carcinogen-especially those that live near the Sterigenics medical sterilization facility in Willowbrook. Currently, Sterigenics is under a seal order from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency for unacceptably high EtO emissions. Director Redfield said he had been … Continue Reading
03.13.19
Durbin Meets With Willowbrook Residents To Discuss Ethylene Oxide Emissions At Sterigenics
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with residents of Willowbrook, Illinois, who have been impacted by ethylene oxide (EtO) emissions from the Sterigenics medical sterilization facility in their community. Currently, Sterigenics is under a seal order from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency for unacceptably high EtO emissions. "Ethylene oxide emissions are a cause for serious concern in Willowbrook, and today I heard directly from residents who have had enough with the… Continue Reading
03.13.19
Durbin, Duckworth Press EPA Administrator Wheeler For Stronger Standards On Ethylene Oxide Emissions
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today pressed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler on their concerns about ethylene oxide (EtO) emissions at the Medline and Vantage facilities in Lake County and Sterigenics facility in DuPage County. The Senators pressed Administrator Wheeler for answers as to why the EPA has not yet implemented new standards for EtO emissions, and discussed the data released last week from outside of the … Continue Reading
03.12.19
Durbin, Duckworth, Kelly Introduce Bicameral Bill To Study Effects Of Petroleum Coke
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL-02), along with Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) and Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-13), today introduced bicameral legislation that would address the concerns of petroleum coke and pave the way for federal environmental safety regulations on the fuel. The Petroleum Coke Transparency and Public Health Act of 2019 would require the federal government to study the potential health risk… Continue Reading
03.12.19
Durbin, Deutch Introduce Bill To Create Bond Program To Fund Efforts Combating Climate Change
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Ted Deutch (D-FL-22) today introduced the Climate Change Resiliency Fund for America Act, a bicameral bill that would authorize the U.S. Department of Treasury to issue from $200 million up to $1 billion in state and local tax-exempt "climate bonds" annually for any American to purchase and contribute to the government's efforts to combat the impacts of climate change. The legislation would set up a system similar to the war bo… Continue Reading
03.06.19
Durbin Meets With Rock Island Army Corps Commander To Discuss Illinois Infrastructure Priorities
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with members of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Rock Island District including Colonel Steven Sattinger, Commander and District Engineer for the Rock Island District, to discuss the need for continued federal investment in Illinois' water infrastructure and flood risk management for the Upper Mississippi River region. Durbin also discussed the importance of preventing the spread of Asian Carp to the Great Lakes, and rehabilitation of the La… Continue Reading
02.27.19
Durbin Opposes Andrew Wheeler, President Trump's Nominee To Head The EPA
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after voting against President Trump's nominee to be U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator, Andrew Wheeler: We need someone leading the EPA who will put the health and well-being of the people of this country above the profits of corporate polluters. We need someone who is willing to protect families and communities from toxic chemicals in our air and water by fully enforcing the C… Continue Reading
02.27.19
Durbin, Duckworth Announce Chicagoland Lakefront Protection Project
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced a Chicagoland Lakefront Protection project to help protect shorelines under the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) Beneficial Use of Dredged Material pilot program. Public beaches and shorelines in Evanston, Glencoe, Lake Bluff and North Chicago will receive sand dredged from Waukegan Harbor to better protect nearby homes and businesses. The new pilot program will also provide federal resources to plant t… Continue Reading
02.27.19
Durbin: Republicans Must Work With Democrats To Tackle Climate Change Crisis
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called out his Republican colleagues for continuing to deny the science behind climate change and refusing to work with Democrats on a bipartisan basis to tackle this mounting crisis. Just this week, scientists wrote that evidence showing human activity is the cause of global warming has reached a "gold standard" level of certainty and that "humanity cannot afford to ignore such clear standards." "For the four years the Republic… Continue Reading
02.19.19
Durbin, Duckworth Statement On Seal Order Of Sterigenics
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today released the following statement regarding the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency's (IEPA) decision to issue a Seal Order on Willowbrook, Illinois-based Sterigenics, Inc.: We support the IEPA taking strong action. Ethylene oxide emissions from Sterigenics and the lack of oversight by the U.S. EPA have created a public health emergency that threatened the well-being and safety of Willowbrook, the surrounding com… Continue Reading
02.14.19
Durbin Statement On Bipartisan Agreement To Fund The Government
WASHINGTON-Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the bipartisan, bicameral conference committee on Homeland Security, today released the following statement after voting for the bipartisan agreement negotiators reached to fund the nine remaining federal departments and their agencies. The bipartisan package rejects President Trump's demand for $5.7 billion for a border wall and makes responsible investments in border security long supported by Democrats. For 35 days, we said t… Continue Reading
02.13.19
Durbin Urges EPA To Complete Rule Allowing E15 Gasoline To Be Sold Year-Round
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today urged the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to finalize a rule allowing the sale of E15 - gasoline containing as much as 15 percent ethanol-to be sold year-round. In a letter to the agency, Durbin urged for a more expeditious effort to complete the new rule by this summer, as President Trump's government shutdown created a month-long delay with the EPA rulemaking… Continue Reading
02.12.19
Durbin, Duckworth, Schneider, Foster, Lipinkski, Casten Introduce Bills To Hold EPA Accountable For Poor Oversight Of Ethylene Oxide Emissions
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), along with U.S. Representatives Brad Schneider (D-IL-10), Bill Foster (D-IL-11), Dan Lipinski (D-IL-03), and Sean Casten (D-IL-06), today introduced a pair of bicameral bills that would hold the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) accountable for its poor oversight of ethylene oxide (EtO) emissions, which have been the source of harmful emissions in Illinois. Durbin and Schneider led the introduction of a bill that… Continue Reading
02.12.19
Durbin: EPA Must Treat Sterigenics Emissions As The Public Health Crisis It Is
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today slammed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its lack of action and oversight of Willowbrook, Illinois-based Sterigenics, Inc., a medical sterilization company that uses a carcinogenic chemical - ethylene oxide (EtO) - to sterilize medical equipment. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin urged the EPA to use its existing authority to develop new rules around the use of EtO, including when it is used for commercial sterilization a… Continue Reading
02.08.19
Durbin, Duckworth Introduce ANTIQUITIES Act To Protect America's National Monuments
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) to introduce the America's Natural Treasures of Immeasurable Quality Unite, Inspire, and Together Improve the Economies of States (ANTIQUITIES) Act of 2019. This legislation will protect America's national monuments against the Trump administration's relentless attacks on public lands and reinforces Congress' clear intent in the Antiquities Act of 1906: only Congress has the authority to mod… Continue Reading
02.08.19
Durbin, Duckworth, Foster, Lipinski, Schneider, Casten Press Sterigenics For Answers About Claims From Ex-Employees
CHICAGO - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representatives Bill Foster (D-IL-11), Dan Lipinski (D-IL-03), Brad Schneider (D-IL-10), and Sean Casten (D-IL-06) today pressed Willowbrook, Illinois-based Sterigenics, Inc. for answers about a CBS Chicago report where ex-employees of Sterigenics alleged rampant wrong-doing by facility supervisors, such as releasing ethylene oxide (EtO) directly into the atmosphere without proper pollution control equipment, dumping… Continue Reading
02.08.19
Durbin Calls For EPA To Send Officials To Address Sterigenics Situation
CHICAGO - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after a conversation with Acting U.S. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler regarding ethylene oxide emissions at Sterigenics: Today I spoke to Acting U.S. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler to again express my grave concern about the reports of high emissions of ethylene oxide at Sterigenics and misconduct at the facility. I do not feel there is a sense of urgency at the U.S. EPA. We are dealing with a clear public safety and… Continue Reading
02.07.19
Durbin, Duckworth, Foster, Lipinski, Schneider, Casten Statement On Sterigenics
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and U.S. Representatives Bill Foster (D-IL-11), Dan Lipinski (D-IL-03), Brad Schneider (D-IL-10), and Sean Casten (D-IL-06) today released the following statement regarding Willowbrook, Illinois-based Sterigenics, Inc.: The reporting from CBS Chicago, alleging Sterigenics directed employees to take extraordinary measures to cover-up releases of ethylene oxide directly into the atmosphere and to dump harmful ethylene glyco… Continue Reading