Illinois Environmental Protection Agency


The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency of the state of Illinois is the primary body concerned with the protection of the environment for the state. The Illinois EPA's mission is "to safeguard environmental quality, consistent with the social and economic needs of the State, so as to protect health, welfare, property and the quality of life."
Its stated goals are to:
The current acting director of the Illinois EPA is John J. Kim.

History

The Illinois EPA was established in July 1970, shortly after the first Earth Day. Governor Richard Ogilvie signed into law the Illinois Environmental Protection Act, which became effective on July 1, 1970 and created the Illinois EPA. Illinois was the first US state with a comprehensive environmental protection act. This was the same year that the United States Environmental Protection Agency was created.

Structure

The agency's headquarters is located in Springfield, with a laboratory in Springfield, and field offices centered in Champaign, Marion, Elgin, Rockford, Moline, Des Plaines, Collinsville, and Peoria. The Illinois EPA is composed of three main Bureaus:
There are also offices designed to assist both industry and the public in the areas of pollution prevention, community relations, and environmental justice.