Cook County is forming a council of local leaders to tackle environmental issues in the region, and Oak Park’s village president is one of the members.
Toni Preckwinkle, president of the county board, announced the formation of the 13-member Cook County Sustainability Advisory Council on Thursday. She’s asking the group to put forth possible programs to increase energy efficiency and decrease pollution, according to a press release.
“I am asking the Sustainability Advisory Council [to] help us do nothing less than establish Cook County as a world-class model of sustainability efficiency and conservation,” Preckwinkle said in a statement. “I urge council members to ask tough questions and think outside the box in setting goals for sustainability.”
The council is chaired by ComEd President and CEO Anne Pramaggiore and Chris Kennedy, past president of Merchandise Mart Properties. Along with Oak Park Village President David Pope, other members include the director of the Sierra Club’s Illinois chapter, and the mayors of Palos Hills and Lynwood.
Next steps for the group include setting benchmarks for energy use at county facilities and chasing after grants to make upgrades at those facilities, according to the press release. The council will meet throughout the year and put together an annual report to document its work.
