Department of Environment – BGA Policy 2026 Budget Snapshot

Departmental Highlights

Snapshot: Appropriation & Staffing Changes from 2025 Budget

• DoE's 2026 proposal contains a substantial expansion of operations and budget, including the assumption of environmental inspection responsibilities previously held by the public health department.
• The proposed expansion of DoE would add a net 65 budgeted positions. (Of those, 25 are offset by corresponding position cuts in the same title at the Chicago Department of Public Health.)
• The bulk of DoE's proposed 2026 appropriations come from the Federal Grant fund. According to the Grant Details budget supplement, nearly all of those federal grant funds ($43.5 million out of $44.8 million total) come from the EPA's Superfund program for Anadarko Streeterville Removal, which targets thorium-contaminated soil from the early 20th century Lindsay Light Co.
• The majority of DoE's proposed budget is appropriated for Reserve Balance, an appropriation account newly added in 2025's budget and described by the budget office as representing grant funds held in reserve and not expended during the budget year.
• Setting aside the Reserve Balance appropriation, which makes up 84% of the proposed 2026 DoE budget, DoE's budget for other appropriations would be roughly $8.3 million, of which $5.9 million (71%) is for salaries and wages.
• Because of its proposed expansion, DoE's appropriations are up in nearly all categories. A 50% cut in postage costs (only a -$4500 difference) was the only reduction. New appropriation categories not previously included in the department's budget were:
  
  • FRINGE BENEFITS - $992,151
  • VEHICLES - $200,000
  • SOFTWARE MAINTENANCE AND LICENSING - $171,018
  • INDIRECT COSTS - $54,254
  • MATERIAL AND SUPPLIES - $47,420
  • TECHNICAL MEETING COSTS - $19,290
  • REPAIR/MAINT EQUIPMENT - $12,100
  • MOBILE COMMUNICATION SERVICES - $7,008
  • TRANSPORTATION AND EXPENSE ALLOWANCE - $4,721
  • OUT OF TOWN TRAVEL FOR AUDITORS ONLY - $3,600
  • PHYSICAL EXAMS - $2,850

Historical Context

The Department of Environment was first established in the 2023 budget as the "Office of Climate and Environmental Equity," with preliminary appropriations and positions for the department's formation.

2024 and 2025 saw its first version as a fully budgeted, standalone department, while the 2026 proposal contains a substantial expansion of operations and budget, including the assumption of environmental inspection responsibilities previously held by the public health department.

If approved, the 2026 budget would dramatically increase both appropriations and headcount at DoE.

From February through September of 2025, the months for which the city released full-time position vacancy data, DoE averaged a 15.2% vacancy rate, compared to the citywide average of 11.2%.

One of the department's budgeted full-time positions were persistent vacancies, meaning that the same title/division/section/subsection combination was vacant for all eight months of available data.

Staffing

The proposed expansion of DoE would add a net 65 budgeted positions. Of those, 25 are offset by corresponding position cuts in the same title at the Chicago Department of Public Health, as DoE takes over areas of responsibility from CDPH. No titles/positions from the previous year have been cut.

Appropriations

The proposed new version of DoE is only 10.6% locally-funded, compared to 79.9% in 2025.

The bulk of DoE's proposed 2026 appropriations come from the Federal Grant fund. According to the Grant Details budget supplement, $43.5 million of those federal grant funds come from the EPA's Superfund program for Anadarko Streeterville Removal, which targets thorium-contaminated soil from the early 20th century Lindsay Light Co.

Largest Appropriations

The majority of DoE's proposed budget is appropriated for Reserve Balance, an appropriation account newly added in 2025's budget and described by the budget office as representing grant funds held in reserve and not expended during the budget year.

Setting aside the Reserve Balance appropriation, which makes up 84% of the proposed 2026 DoE budget, DoE's budget for other appropriations would be roughly $8.3 million, of which $5.9 million (71%) is for salaries and wages.

In 2024, the only fully-budgeted DoE year for which actuals and encumbrances data is available, DoE spent only 63.7% of its locally funded budget, compared to the citywide average 86.4% local fund spend.

Change from Previous Year

Because of its proposed expansion, DoE's appropriations are up in nearly all categories. A 50% cut in postage costs (only a -$4500 difference) was the only reduction. New appropriation categories not previously included in the department's budget were:

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