Faith in Place

And that's a wrap! 🎉Thank you to everyone that joined to make this an incredible 2026 IL Advocacy Day! We advocated for our water, communities and ratepayers against unchecked data center development!

If you met a new friend, stay connected! If you learned about a new organization, attend an upcoming event! Advocacy is all about building a connected and inspired network. 🍃

It’s all coming together for our special event!

June 13:

Come on out to High Country in Eau Claire, WI

5 pm doors open, make a night of it and get supper before we start!

Food trucks and beverages on site

6 pm entertainment starts with musical guests and Charlie Berens as our headliner!

Be sure to register if you haven’t and tell your friends along the western edge of the state we want them to join us!

SPEAK OUT: The EPA is attempting to roll back vital coal ash cleanup safeguards and groundwater protections.

For decades, toxic coal ash has been dumped in unlined pits, leaching dangerous heavy metals—like arsenic and lead—into local soil and groundwater. Now, these essential rules that force power plants to monitor pollution and clean up their messes are at risk.

The public comment period for this rollback closes on June 12, 2026. We can’t let industry interests take precedence over our health!

Take action now by submitting your comment here: https://www.regulations.gov/document/EPA-HQ-OLEM-2020-0107-1376



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¡ALZA LA VOZ: La EPA está intentando debilitar las salvaguardas vitales para la limpieza de cenizas de carbón y la protección de las aguas subterráneas!

Durante décadas, las cenizas de carbón tóxicas se han vertido en pozos sin revestimiento, filtrando metales pesados peligrosos —como el arsénico y el plomo— en el suelo y las aguas subterráneas locales. Ahora, estas normas esenciales que obligan a las plantas de energía a monitorear la contaminación y limpiar sus desechos están en riesgo.

El periodo de comentarios públicos para este retroceso cierra el 12 de junio de 2026. ¡No podemos permitir que los intereses de la industria tengan prioridad sobre nuestra salud!

Actúa ahora enviando tu comentario aquí: https://www.regulations.gov/document/EPA-HQ-OLEM-2020-0107-1376



📷Doug Ower

Sooo, what can bees teach us about community, sustainability, and care for the planet? 🐝

Join us on Thursday, June 11 for an inspiring conversation with Charlie Koenen - known throughout Milwaukee, Wisconsin as “CharBee,” the “Beevangelist.” A former Wisconsin State Bee Inspector, Charlie has spent more than two decades educating communities and advocating for pollinator protection through sustainable beekeeping. 🌻

Come learn, connect and be inspired.

📍Free Virtual Event
📅 Thursday Evening | June 11, 2026

Can’t join live? Register anyway and receive the recording and resources in your email inbox after the event! 📫

RSVP: bit.ly/monthly-call-june2026

CharBee Koenen

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Lessons from the Hive: A Conversation with "Beevangelist" Charlie Koenen | Faith in Place June Monthly Call. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting. We will have a conversation with "Beevangelist" Charlie Koenen about his work with pollinators and Lessons from the Hive as we begin our summer!

IL Advocacy Day is coming up this Saturday, May 30th! Sign up and head down to Springfield, IL with Faith in Place! What are we advocating for? We're advocating for nation-leading guardrails against data-center harms. This means protection for our water, energy, ratepayers and communities!

Sign up: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeuFPW1T_W3b3oc9yfJHyl988c2WZmOvM2734Xi1q59S0uePw/viewform?usp=send_form

Join Faith in Place and partners for Illinois Advocacy Day on May 30th! This specific advocacy day will focus on protecting our Illinois energy, water and communities from data center harms through legislative protections!

You don't have to be an advocacy expert to attend! 👍

Advocacy day is just an opportunity to connect with your state reps, learn about what they're working on and share your opinions and questions with them. We'll be there along with other great environmental orgs!

When: Saturday, May 30, 2026 📅
Where: Illinois State Capitol Building, 401 S. 2nd St. Springfield, IL 62756
Registration: free and open to all!

Register for free here: https://ilenviro.org/lobbydays?fbclid=IwY2xjawSD4cRleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFHMndjSldiNmlYU1JaSVNDc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHq1MRAM5uUukuuQC6Qvcjbn1iO7QmExyC_39WHvMlxZ0iiYMOjF9P8FEFndp_aem_ix0qNfxAfU2qkiWrtPw2JQ

There will be transport available from select locations. 🚌

Transportation: buses may be available round-trip in various locations across the state, including: Aurora, Carbondale, Chicago, Decatur, East St. Louis, Evanston, Geneva, Hamel, Naperville, Oak Park, Peoria, Rockford, Urbana, Joliet, Schaumburg, Waukegan. Let us know if you'd like a ride to Springfield, and we will determine location availability based on interest level through the form.

350 Chicago Active Transportation Alliance Alliance for the Great Lakes BIG: Blacks in Green Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) Citizens Utility Board Clean Power Lake County Climate Action Evanston The Climate Reality Project - Chicago Metro Chapter Elevate

Save the date: Our 2026 Annual Environment & Spirituality Summit will take place September 28–29. Join environmental leaders, change makers, and founders for two days of intentional conversation, connection, and collective action.

Whether you’ve attended in previous years or are joining us for the first time, this is an event you won’t want to miss.

Register in advance at aes-summit.org

Our 2025 numbers tell a story - one of climate action, community and collective impact. Trees were planted, solar panels were installed, and workshops were hosted.

None of our work could be possible without your support and time. Thank you to every volunteer, partner, donor and community member who helped shape our 2025.

Swipe through to see our 2025 in numbers.

You can review the full Annual Report here: https://bit.ly/2025-annual-report-fip

More than 100 residents attended a presentation hosted by the Carbondale Unitarian Fellowship to learn more about the impacts of data centers going up statewide. The presentation split the impacts of data centers into categories: water usage, energy consumption, infrastructure and land use.

Read the full article here:

Data center impacts discussed in Carbondale amid developments statewide CARBONDALE — The Carbondale Unitarian Fellowship hosted a presentation on the impact of data centers and possible regulations as the state has seen an influx of such projects and proposals.