Mapping Tool Results and Recommendations
The Illinois Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) prioritizes clean energy funding for communities that have experienced environmental harms and economic disinvestment. This prioritization is intended to ensure that the benefits of clean energy investments and good quality jobs are equitably distributed. A state mapping tool was developed to identify these target communities.
Until recently, the federal government also prioritized clean energy investments in target communities. The Justice40 Initiative directed 40% of federal clean energy investment benefits to “disadvantaged communities.” On January 20, 2025, the Trump Administration revoked the Justice40 initiative, and the federal mapping tool used to identify these communities was removed from agency websites.
Fortunately, the federal tool is still available, thanks to researchers who are committed to preserving and providing access to federal environmental data. As Illinois grapples with changes in federal clean energy policy, it will be more important than ever to utilize and learn from tools that can help foster an equitable clean energy transition.
This policy brief highlights the differences between the state and federal mapping tools. We demonstrate how methodological differences impact prioritization, with some communities benefitting and others left out. We further provide recommendations for improving the Illinois mapping tool to more equitably identify target communities.
