Articles by Regional Reporter, Illinois Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco
Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco is the Midwest regional reporter for Grist and WBEZ Chicago. He previously covered waterways, wildlife, and agriculture for the Mississippi River Basin Agriculture and Water Desk, Harvest Public Media, and WNIJ Northern Public Radio.
All Articles
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![digital collage of the White House and silhouette of the Great Lakes]()
![digital collage of the White House and silhouette of the Great Lakes]()
Will JD Vance save the Great Lakes from Trump?
The vice president once pushed for restoration funding. Advocates hope he hasn't forgotten.
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![A wind turbine shown in a filed outside Chicago.]()
![A wind turbine shown in a filed outside Chicago.]()
The odds are Illinois won’t hit its 2030 climate goals
From renewables to EVs to workforce training, the state's journey toward decarbonization has "a long way to go and a short time to get there."
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![The Double Black Diamond Solar Field near Waverly, Illinois, is now powering Chicago's municipal buildings.]()
![The Double Black Diamond Solar Field near Waverly, Illinois, is now powering Chicago's municipal buildings.]()
Chicago keeps its New Year’s resolution: All city buildings now use 100% clean power
To achieve its climate goals, the city helped finance the largest solar farm east of the Mississippi.
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![Joe Biden speaks at a podium in front of a sign that reads Investing in America]()
![Joe Biden speaks at a podium in front of a sign that reads Investing in America]()
Midwest wins funding for a new hydrogen hub. Not everyone is convinced it’s ‘clean.’
Policymakers and industry say the Midwest Hydrogen Hub will create green jobs and slash emissions, but environmentalists see a ploy to keep fossil fuels in use.
