Town of Normal Sustainability Plan ("Vision 2050") Needs Your Input!
Every 5 years, the Town of Normal calls together a diverse group of citizens to create a Vision Plan for the community. This exercise establishes goals and priorities to ensure Normal is a great place to live 25 years in the future. The theme of the Vision 2050 plan is sustainability! The citizen group behind the Vision 2050 plan has created a survey to engage as many people as possible in their effort to set forth sustainability goals and priorities. The Town Council has a strong history of seriously considering the recommendations of its constituents, whether those people are residents, employees at businesses in Normal, or visitors to Normal. All are welcome and encouraged to fill out the survey to help inform Normal's path forward. Making a difference in the world can seem daunting when you're looking at the international or national stage, but making a difference right here at home is completely within reach. After you complete the survey, please circulate it to friends, family, and groups within your network.
Proper Med Disposal: Don't Trash or Splash!
To minimize the risk of long-term ecological impacts, incineration is the safest way to dispose of expired/unused medications. Relative to the drugs themselves, the by-products of incineration minimize the harm these substances cause in the environment. Methods like flushing or throwing away unused medication elevates the risk of environmental pollution, negatively impacting human, animal, and ecological well-being.
Currently there are several local drop-off locations for pharmaceuticals. Find the drop-off location closest to you below:
Walgreens Pharmacy
1525 North Veterans Pkwy in Bloomington
OSF St. Joseph Medical Center
2200 E Washington St in Bloomington
(waiting area inside of main entrance)
Normal Police Department
100 E Phoenix Ave in Normal
Meijer Pharmacy
1900 E College Ave in Normal
Illinois State University Student Services Pharmacy
201 N University St in Normal
Chenoa Pharmacy
209 S Green St in Chenoa
Inflation Reduction Act Electrification and Efficiency Benefits for Households
Among its numerous provisions and incentives, the Inflation Reduction Act provides tax credits for qualified electrification upgrades, and created electrification and appliance rebate programs to help finance residential energy efficiency and electrification.
The 25C and 25D tax credits, available as of January 1, 2023.
25C provides a capped 30% tax credit for up to $3200 a year for heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, qualifying electrical panel upgrades, select weatherization measures, and energy audits. The credit limit is annual, not lifetime, so it resets and can be used again. The credit is nonrefundable, so you cannot get back more on the credit than you own in taxes.
You can find more details on the 25C tax credit, and how to claim it on the IRS site.
25D provides an uncapped 30% tax credit for rooftop solar, battery storage, and geothermal heating. This rate lasts through 2032, and then reduces to 26% in 2033, and 22% in 2034. 25D can also be applied to an electrical panel upgrade as long as it is installed in conjunction with, and enables, another eligible energy installation. These credits cover purchase and installation costs. Households must have adequate tax liability to offset, but a carry-forward ability applies so households may roll over unused credits year after year.
You can find more details on the 25D tax credit, and how to claim it on the IRS site.
Electrification Rebates
Electrification Rebates provide point-of-sale consumer discounts to enable low to moderate income households to electrify their homes. Funding for these rebates is distributed by the US Department of Energy, and programs are administered by State Energy Offices. The IL Department of Energy has not yet received funding to launch this program.
These rebates cover 100% of eligible electrification project costs for low-income households (under 80% AMI) up to $14,000 per household, and 50% of costs for moderate-income households (80%-150% AMI). Households with income levels higher than 150% AMI are not eligible for electrification rebates, but can still utilize the tax credits listed above.
80% Area Median Income for McLean County
Persons in Household
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Max income
$61,800
$70,600
$79,400
$88,250
$95,350
$102,400
$190,450
The rebates can be combined with the 25C and 25D tax credits. The items eligible for rebates have efficiency requirements, including Energy Star certification where applicable.
Items eligible for rebates include heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, electrical panel, electrical wiring, weatherization, an electric or induction stove, and a heat pump clothes dryer.
Rewiring America has a comprehensive list of the eligible items and an incentives calculator where you can enter your home’s information to see if you qualify for the 100% rebate, the 50% rebate, or not at all.
If you qualify for rebates, you can add your name to the Illinois Department of Energy’s listserv for updates on when funding is available, or look for future updates from the Ecology Action Center.
The EAC needs your help! The EAC is teaching students about aluminum recycling for the summer library program. To further their understanding each student will get to emboss aluminum cans with an environmental design of their choice. Last year, the EAC met with around 450 students during the summer library program, so we need a lot of aluminum cans! Please bring clean (rinsed and dried) uncrushed aluminum cans (please no alcoholic cans or cans with inappropriate designs for children) to the EAC located at 202 West College Avenue in Normal during normal office hours (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday 9-5pm).
Winter Bike Movie
The Winter Bike Movie is coming up next Tuesday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. at the Normal Theater. Doors open at 6:30 pm and it’s free to attend. Many bike- and trail-advocacy folks will be on hand to talk about the amazing things they have in store for the upcoming year. There will also be bike safety quizzes and prizes.
And, of course, there’s the actual movie! We’ll be watching Why We Cycle, a really cool 50-minute documentary about bicycling culture in The Netherlands. Prepare to be jealous. Ha ha! But seriously, we can learn from the Dutch.
way to dispose of expired/unused medications. Relative to the drugs themselves, the by-products of incineration minimize the harm these substances cause in the environment. Methods like flushing or throwing away unused medication elevates the risk of environmental pollution, negatively impacting human, animal, and ecological well-being.
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