Prairie Rivers Network

Severe weather is beyond our control, but how we prepare for it can make all the difference. As climate-driven weather events become more frequent and intense, communities must be ready to respond to the energy disruptions that often follow.

What is your community doing to prepare for the next major storm or power outage?

Join our Resilient Communities Webinar this Tuesday, June 23rd at 12pm to explore strategies for energy resilience and for preparing local energy infrastructure for severe weather events (registration in comments below).

During the webinar, EnergySense Resilience Center will share examples of energy resilience from communities across Illinois and discuss how climate action plans can help communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from energy disruptions. Collective Energy will share strategies for rural communities, including best practices for rural health centers, and explore how technologies such as solar paired with battery storage can support local energy systems.

Whether you are a local leader, sustainability professional, or community advocate, this webinar will share valuable insights, real-world examples, and connect you to experts to help your community become more resilient.

PRN’s new research shows poisonous chemicals are drifting onto our public spaces, and now an article released last week from Investigate Midwest shows cancer rates and pesticide use rates typically rise concurrently—yet we continue to feel pushback from industry on strengthening protections.

“We knew chemical trespass was having a very negative effect on trees and plants,” said Kim Erndt-Pitcher, PRN’s Director of Ecological Health and the project’s lead. “PRN’s new study clearly documents pesticide drift events occurring at parks and schoolyards throughout the warm months. Drift occurred every month, at every site we studied.”

Pesticide Drift in Public Spaces, research PRN launched in April, zeros in on the frequency and long-lasting pesticide exposures to public spaces—including schools, parks, and playgrounds—across Illinois during the growing season.

“Our new data clearly shows that people outdoors, children at play, and the places we enjoy in our communities are regularly being exposed to pesticides,” said Erndt-Pitcher. “Meanwhile, other recent research is highlighting the health impacts pesticide exposures have on children, adults, and animals. Chemical trespass is wreaking havoc and no one is being held accountable.”

This research shows the clear need for stronger regulations on pesticide application in Illinois, and opposition cannot continue to silence the science.

We will continue to sound the alarm on how chemical trespass impacts our communities.

Across the state there is broad support for local and state actions to regulate data centers and protect communities. The Daily Yonder joined PRN, our partners, and nearly 100 locals for the "Let's Talk Data Centers" event in Bloomington this April—hearing firsthand accounts of people's worries about the impacts these developments can have.

The POWER Act was presented this legislative session, and this article lays out the legislation's plans to regulate data centers—from water use and community transparency to protecting our power grid and energy bills.

You can still join us this Saturday at POWER Act Lobby Day to urge your legislators IN PERSON to support this critical legislation to protect our communities statewide. Register by 11:59pm tonight (May 28th) to let us know you’re coming! http://bit.ly/POWER2026

As Illinois Lawmakers Debate POWER Act, Concerns about Data Centers Spill Into Rural Communities | The Daily Yonder On a Monday night in late April, nearly 100 people gathered in a public library conference room in Bloomington, Illinois. Sipping on seltzer water and

The GROUNDWORK Closing Reception and Artist Talks on Thursday, May 28 from 5-9pm. Join us for a last-chance look at the exhibition and hear directly from the featured artists—Kim Curtis, Kelly Hieronymus, Robert Peterson, Peg Shaw, and Tali Weinberg. Each artist will take visitors through their process and talk through the work showcased in the show. Join us to learn more about how art, advocacy, and shared purpose can help shape Illinois’ environmental future.

We hope you are able to experience this powerful exhibition with us!

The US Environmental Protection Agency is proposing dangerous rollbacks to federal coal ash protections, putting communities and groundwater at risk of toxic pollution. These changes would weaken oversight, delay cleanup requirements, and allow coal ash—a byproduct of burning coal that contains arsenic, boron, mercury, radium, and so many more chemicals tied to health complications like cancer, heart disease, and brain damage—to remain in contact with groundwater for years to come.

There’s still time to take action! Learn how in our recent blog post co-authored by Earthjustice!

Federal Coal Ash Safeguards are Under Attack: What Does it Mean for Illinois? - Prairie Rivers Network May 1, 2026 | Blog Post Prairie Rivers Network and Earthjustice teamed up for a Q&A about federal rollbacks of coal ash protections, how Illinois might be affected, and how we can take action.

Join Prairie Rivers Network and .at.the.cohen for a Still Life Open Draw this Wednesday from 6-8pm within the GROUNDWORK exhibition. A thoughtfully arranged collection of natural objects and materials will inspire participants to slow down, observe closely, and connect with the landscapes, textures, and living systems that shape not just this exhibition, but our world.

Whether you’re an experienced artist or simply curious to sketch, come spend time making marks, sharing space, and drawing inspiration from the natural world we hold near and dear.

Come draw with us!

Prairie Rivers Network is glad to be supporting the development of the large pollinator garden at the Pre-k with Eldorado Impact. Keep an eye on the progress as these tiny seeds make big impacts at B.E.L.A. and beyond.