Contact: Amanda Pankau, apankau@prairierivers.org, 217-344-2371 ext. 214; Cindy Shepherd, cindy@faithinplace.org, 217-493-5046
Champaign-Urbana Area Leaders Show Support for Fransformational Clean Energy Jobs Act
Clean Energy Jobs Act would bring new jobs, especially to communities of color and counties throughout Illinois
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Urbana – Illinois lawmakers from the Champaign-Urbana area joined a coalition of local environmental, business and faith leaders today to press for bold clean energy legislation. The new bill would invigorate the state’s clean energy sector while ensuring that all communities join in the resulting economic gains.
The group gathered at the solar-powered MTD Facility in Urbana to announce its support for the new Clean Energy Jobs Act (HB 3624/SB 2132), legislation introduced this week in Springfield. Many of the participating groups are members of the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition, including Prairie Rivers Network, Faith in Place, EcoJustice Collaborative, Illinois Green Business Association, and Sierra Club. They were joined by State Senator Scott Bennett, State Representative Carol Ammons, MTD Managing Director Karl Gnadt, UIUC Beyond Coal’s AnnaMae Dziallo, and Adina Sanchez with Champaign County Healthcare Consumers.
The bill would move Illinois to 100% renewable energy by 2050, cut carbon pollution from the state’s power sector by 2030, and create steps to electrify the transportation sector. At the same time, the legislation would help keep a lid on energy bills and lead to economic benefits, especially in the form of new jobs, for communities that need them the most.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker has previously endorsed the call for moving Illinois to 100% renewable energy by 2050, as have dozens of state legislators.
The bill is the outgrowth of listening sessions held around the state in 2018 by the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition (ICJC). More than 60 such “Listen. Lead. Share.” sessions were held last year in communities around Illinois, where people were asked to provide their input on clean energy issues.
“With our partners, Faith in Place held listening sessions in restaurants, church basements, college campuses, and public libraries, all over the state. Everywhere we went, we found people eager to build healthier communities with clean energy and access to good jobs,” said Cindy Shepherd of Faith in Place.
The new legislation also builds upon the Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA), a law enacted in late 2016 that increased the amount of solar and wind energy produced in Illinois while saving customers money on their bills.
“In recent years, Illinois passed the Future Energy Jobs Act, the greatest clean energy breakthrough in the state’s history, which is creating thousands of jobs in every part of Illinois, saving consumers money on their bills and taking action to combat the threat of climate change,” said Senator Scott Bennett. “But, we can’t stop there.”
The legislation introduced this week would spur enough new wind and solar to power 4 million homes, more than four times the amount accomplished by FEJA.
Amanda Pankau of Prairie Rivers Network said, “For years, Prairie Rivers Network has fought pollution from dirty sources of energy. We are proud to be part of the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition’s effort to advance clean, renewable energy, while also ensuring that communities aren’t left with legacy pollution, like coal ash.”
During the listening sessions held last year, participants were invited to identify their priorities for future Illinois’ energy policy. That input formed the basis for the four pillars central to the new legislation:
- Putting the fight for quality jobs and economic opportunity at the heart of a vision for a clean, equitable energy future.
- Expanding clean energy and energy efficiency in an equitable manner to set Illinois on a path to achieve 100% renewable energy by 2050.
- Achieving a carbon-free power sector by 2030.
- Replacing the equivalent of one million gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles on the road with electric vehicles, mass transit and other alternatives.
Passage of the bill would lead to more than 40 million solar panels and 2,500 wind turbines across the state by 2030, generating more than $30 billion in new infrastructure.
To help achieve equity in the clean energy economy, the bill calls for the creation of Clean Jobs Workforce Hubs, a network of front line organizations that would provide support for minority and disadvantaged communities. The bill also gives preferences to companies that implement actions to ensure equitable representation in Illinois’ clean energy workforce.
“This legislation says that that no community should be left behind as Illinois builds up its clean energy economy,” said Representative Carol Ammons, a Chief Co-sponsor of the bill. “This bill ensures that people outside Chicago as well as communities of color lead the way in the new energy economy. It does this by creating new clean energy businesses and lower energy costs.”
The bill also creates a new Beneficial Electrification initiative to incentivize electric vehicle charging, focused on medium- and heavy-duty vehicles to improve health impact. And, by creating the EV Access for All program, it ensures all Illinois residents can benefit from electric vehicles.
“Fossil-fuel burning transportation is the largest source of climate-warming pollution. The Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District’s sustainability efforts specifically target the reduction of those pollutants,” said MTD Managing Director Karl Gnadt. “With hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, we’ve cut our reliance on diesel fuel by 50%. Our solar array reduces the amount of coal-produced electricity needed to power our maintenance facility by 25%. It is encouraging that our friends in Springfield have also recognized the importance of these investments.”
Adani Sanchez, of Champaign County Health Care Consumers noted, “The Clean Energy Jobs Act scores a perfect 100 – making sure Illinois gets 100 percent of its energy from renewable sources AND making sure 100 percent of Illinois shares in the benefits of clean energy. Clean energy will improve the health of the environment and the health of the people of Illinois, while also improving the health of our economy.”
Community members and students also joined in for the announcement and expressed support for the legislation. AnnaMae Dziallo, a University of Illinois Student with Beyond Coal UIUC said, “With 18 of the hottest 19 years on record occurring since 2001, my peers and I have no choice but to fight for our futures. Millions of people my age are mobilizing in support of a humane, just, and eco-friendly future and the introduction of the Clean Energy Jobs Act is a crucial moment for Illinois’ youth to achieve the manifestation of our vision.”
About the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition
The ICJC is a group of more than 200 organizations, businesses, and community leaders working together to advance clean energy jobs, lower energy bills, and healthier air and water. The group championed the Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA), which passed the Illinois General Assembly with bipartisan support and was signed into law in 2016. The law positioned Illinois to become a leader in clean energy and to capture the jobs and investments that come with it.
At Prairie Rivers Network (PRN), we protect water, heal land, and inspire change. Using the creative power of science, law, and collective action, we protect and restore our rivers, return healthy soils and diverse wildlife to our lands, and transform how we care for the earth and for each other. PRN is the Illinois affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation.
###
