State Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris ) has recently filed legislation that would create a "100% clean energy economy" in Illinois. | Courtesy Photo
State Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris ) has recently filed legislation that would create a "100% clean energy economy" in Illinois. | Courtesy Photo
Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris) recently filed legislation to create a "100% clean energy economy" in Illinois.
The Climate Union Jobs Act (CUJA) would facilitate additional renewable energy generation and establish new accountability and transparency requirements for utilities; the bill would also preserve Illinois' nuclear fleet by ensuring the security of 28,000 existing jobs while creating conditions to put hundreds of thousands of union laborers to work.
"The Climate Union Jobs Act will help protect thousands of well-paying jobs while reducing the state's carbon energy footprint," Rezin said in a Facebook post. "I look forward to working with David Allen Welter, state representative (R-Morris), state Rep. Lance Yednock (D-Ottawa) and the other co-sponsors as we move forward with this legislation."
One provision of the bill would provide $150 million in energy rate relief for low-income families.
"This legislation puts working families at the center of Illinois' clean energy efforts where they should be," Rezin said. "By preserving the Dresden nuclear plant, we can keep delivering hundreds of middle-class jobs for families and carbon-free electricity for the state. I look forward to working with my colleagues to make this legislation law."
State Sen. Michael Hastings (D-Frankfort) and state Reps. Marcus Evans (D-Chicago), Larry Walsh, Jr. (D-Elwood), and Jay Hoffman (D-Belleville) have also thrown their support behind CUJA.
"Passing this ambitious yet achievable legislation, we can lower unemployment, reduce emissions and close income inequality from Chicago to Cairo and Moline to Mahomet," CJI Executive Director Joe Duffy said.
CUJA was planned in partnership with the labor coalition Climate Change Illinois (CJI) and would preserve the state's nuclear fleet by creating 74 million megawatt-hour Carbon Mitigation credits for zero-emission facilities.
The bill would end formula rates and return to traditional rate-making to provide customers with the best value In the interest of establishing new accountability and transparency requirements.
Additionally, utilities would be required to participate in annual standards and compliance audits to ensure customers pay actual and reasonable costs.
Alerts Sign-up