New Rules for Rock Crushers
Effective March 2023
Facilities in Chicago that process construction and demolition materials must now follow the Chicago Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) new rules to reduce dust and improve air quality. Rules include continuous air monitoring and reporting to CDPH, strategic planning to address air and water pollution, and lead and asbestos testing. These efforts will help protect the environment and the health of people who live near the facilities.
Anti-Homelessness Initiative
Effective July 2023
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed a bill (HB2831) in July codifying the state’s interagency homelessness task force. The multi-agency endeavor, led by Illinois’ first-ever chief homelessness officer, increases affordable housing options and support for the state’s 120,000 unhoused people. The initiative currently focuses on high-risk individuals, such as college students and people leaving medical care. The 2024 state budget commits more than $350 million to the initiative.
PFAS Drinking Water Standards
Late 2023
The Biden Administration proposed drinking water limitations in March on six types of forever chemicals, or PFAS. The National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWR) establishes a legally enforceable limit, requiring public water systems to monitor and reduce chemical levels as they do for pathogens, heavy metals, and radioactive particles. The Environmental Protection Agency is expected to finalize the proposal in late 2023. And the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which President Biden signed in 2021, dedicates $10 billion to help communities reduce PFAS in drinking water.
Originally published in the Fall/Winter 2023 print issue.
An award-winning journalist, Katie has written for Chicago Health since 2016 and currently serves as Editor-in-Chief.
