USDA cuts remove local conservation experts from nearly half of Illinois counties
The Trump administration cut 22% of the Natural Resources Conservation Service staff in 2025, impacting nearly half of Illinois counties.
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‘Surreal’: Illinois’ only International Dark Sky Place attracts tourists worldwide
The Middle Fork River Forest Preserve in Champaign County is Illinois’ only International Dark Sky Place as judged by Dark Sky International. The legislature in recent years has taken steps to limit light pollution.
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Pesticide pollution in Midwest and Great Plains rivers is getting worse, decade-long study reveals
Pesticide pollution is a problem especially in the middle of the country. And sometimes there’s enough of it to possibly hurt aquatic plants and animals.
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Dangerous air continues in central Illinois on Monday, strong to severe storms tonight
An air quality alert is in effect for central, southeast, and northern Illinois.
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Tornadoes are breaking records in new Midwest states this year as Tornado Alley moves east
The majority of tornadoes this year have blasted through states in the Midwest and Southeast, including Illinois, Missouri, Indiana and Iowa. Tornado activity has been increasing east of the Great Plains in recent decades.
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In the fight to save prairies, some Great Plains ranchers embrace a new landscape – with goats
These ranchers tried to protect grassland from trees and shrubs in all the traditional ways. It didn’t work. So they brought in hungry goats that turned woody plants into a cash stream.
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A potent weedkiller can drift for miles, killing crops and trees. EPA’s new rules may not stop it
New federal rules for dicamba aim to help cotton and soybean farmers control weeds. But the herbicide, which can kill other crops and trees, remains controversial.
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Meteorologist Ed Kieser returns to Illinois Public Media to team up with Andrew Pritchard on weather and severe storm coverage
Illinois Public Media Meteorologists Ed Kieser and Andrew Pritchard are working to provide forecasts and breaking weather.
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Nearly one year after Mattoon’s water crisis, the city has seen no signs of algal blooms returning
Algal blooms overwhelmed Mattoon’s water system in July 2025, leading to five days of do not drink orders.
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Urbana Park District seeks community input to create future goals
The Urbana Park District is asking residents to fill out a survey and participate in focus groups to help guide the creation of their 2027-2031 Strategic Plan.
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First climate monitoring station in Coles County begins collecting climate and weather data
The latest climate monitoring station in Illinois is in Coles County, and researchers with Prairie Research Institute have plans to expand the network even more.
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Dangerous humidity is increasing in the Midwest and South, putting farmworkers at risk
Extreme heat combined with high humidity is becoming more common as the climate warms, making it harder for people to cool their bodies.
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Fish and mussels returned to these rivers after decades of cleanup. But new threats loom
Some rivers are success stories where wildlife is bouncing back from heavy pollution. But environmental groups say progress hasn’t happened across the board and backsliding remains possible.
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Trump administration blocks wind farm development in Illinois and across the nation
The Trump administration now has what amounts to a moratorium on new wind farm projects, according to renewable energy advocates.
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As people protest data centers across the Heartland, lawmakers rush to regulate development
Development of large-scale data centers is booming across the Midwest and South. As some communities push back, local and state governments are trying to catch up on how to regulate the new development.
