Illinois is receiving $108 million from the 2016 Volkswagen Clean Air Act violation settlement. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is hosting three public outreach sessions to hear your input about its plan to spend the money, and to answer your questions. CUB and other consumer advocates have urged the…...
Tell Your Senators: Don’t Back Down on Net Neutrality!
UPDATE: The U.S. Senate voted 52-47 to restore net neutrality – an important victory, but now net neutrality faces an even tougher battle in the House. Tell your Representative to stand up for net neutrality! The clock is ticking for net neutrality, the federal rules that preserve free and open access…...
Good news/bad news on Ameren bills
There have been major developments concerning your Ameren natural gas and electric bills. Here’s a summary: The bad news: Rate hikes! Earlier this year, Ameren filed for a $46.6 million gas rate hike before the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC). Now, it also wants a $71.75 million electric hike. The increases…...
Update: Illinois utilities sharing $350 million in tax savings with customers
CUB’s legal team and other consumer advocates were busy in the first few months of the year working to make sure Illinois utilities rightfully shared their newfound tax savings with customers. As a result, customers will see $350 million in lower rates. Due to legislation passed in Washington late last…...
No net neutrality? Not so fast!
CUB’s Bryan McDaniel speaks at an April 8, 2018 press conference on House Bill 4819 to protect net neutrality in Illinois. “Once we pay Internet providers, we should be able to access all content equally,” he said. As Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai pushes to kill net neutrality…...
Spring report from CUB General Counsel Julie Soderna
By Julie Soderna, CUB General Counsel Just wanted to give you an update. The CUB staff and I are swamped with these battles in 2018: Fighting plans pushed by giant power generators to change electricity pricing rules in Washington and potentially raise ComEd bills by hundreds of millions of dollars.…...
UPDATE: BAD water bill HB 4508 moves to Senate
House Bill 4508 has passed the Illinois House of Representatives and moves to the state Senate. We need your help to defeat this legislation, which allows big water companies to expand while customers foot the bill. CUB opposes this bill: When the nation’s biggest private water companies get their hands…...
Fighting the Goldilocks effect, and reducing energy costs
By Annabelle Rosser, CUB Environmental Outreach Coordinator Earlier this year, CUB outreach team members Yami, Aimee and myself, along with folks from the Sierra Club, EDF and the community organization One Northside, were given a tour of the Lake Village East Apartments, a 218-unit affordable housing community in the Kenwood neighborhood of…...
