Environmental Stewardship Field, Association Category

Emcee: Debra Poneman

Representing Environment Illinois is staff attorney and clean energy advocate, Brian Granahan.

Environment Illinois is a statewide, citizen-based environmental advocacy organization. Their professional staff combines independent research, practical ideas and tough-minded advocacy to overcome the opposition of powerful special interests and win real results for Illinois' environment. Environment Illinois draws on 30 years of success in tackling our state's top environmental problems.

Brian’s work focuses on increasing the prevalence of energy efficiency as well as clean and renewable energy at the local, state, and federal levels.

Most recently, Brian has been working with Illinois state legislators in an effort to bring statewide residential energy efficient building codes to Illinois. He is also working to pass California’s Clean Cars legislation in Illinois and lobbying members of Congress on extending tax credits for renewable energy technologies. Brian has advocated for municipal ordinances mandating plastic bag recycling facilities in Chicago stores and for stronger building energy codes for new Chicago construction.

Prior to joining Environment Illinois, Brian was a research assistant for Professor Arthur R. Miller of Harvard Law School and an attorney in the intellectual property litigation group of the Chicago-based law firm of Sidley Austin, where he was winner of the 2004 Thomas H. Morsch Award for pro bono service. Brian holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from the University of Iowa and a Juris Doctor degree from New York University’s School of Law.

It is my great honor to induct Environment Illinois into the Environmental Hall of Fame, and I ask you to please show your appreciation to Brian for the great work he and his organization have done.