The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (SB 2408, CEJA) sets Illinois on a path to a 100% clean energy future by 2050 and delivers 100% carbon-free power by 2045. The bill mandates closure of coal and gas plants on timelines that guarantee climate action, public health protection, and prioritization of environmental justice communities. This includes closing the Prairie State Coal Plant, the 7th largest carbon polluter in U.S., by 2045, with 45% emissions reductions by 2035.
Andrew Rehn, PRN’s Water Resources Engineer said, “The bill is a major victory for Illinois and the culmination of three years of grassroots community organizing and leadership by Prairie Rivers Network and our partners at the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition. What started with over 100 community conversations, among the largest ever participatory policy making efforts in Illinois, has culminated in the passage of the most comprehensive and equitable climate and energy bill in the nation.”
CEJA will save our burgeoning solar industry from the ‘solar cliff’ and re-ignite Illinois’ investment in clean energy. It will prioritize an equitable future through renewable energy worker and contractor development hubs across the state with a focus on BIPOC communities, with metrics and accountability to ensure diversity targets are being met.
Kim Knowles, PRN’s Attorney and Policy Expert said, “We’re so pleased that our Coalition stayed true to the goal of ensuring Illinois clean energy benefits are equitably distributed among our diverse communities, businesses, and households. Illinois’ low income solar program will see a five-fold increase to $50 million, 45% of electric transportation funding will go to EJ and low income communities, and each new solar project that receives state funding will need to meet diversity and equity requirements. These are ground breaking equity commitments!”
CEJA will support transitioning fossil fuel communities and workers with the creation of the Energy Community Reinvestment Act that will invest millions in the communities hardest hit by the transition away from coal. The bill creates a Displaced Energy Worker Bill of Rights and a Coal to Solar program that incentivizes renewable energy development and energy storage on the site of shuttered coal plants.
Amanda Pankau, PRN’s Energy Campaign Coordinator said, “For over a century, the boom and bust economy of coal has left communities behind, and Vistra’s recent closures remind us that this is still the case today. SB 2408 changes that, empowering coal communities with the funds and tools to plan for the transition away from coal and spur new economic development opportunities. I look forward to continuing to work with leaders and advocates across the state on a just transition away from fossil fuels.”
What does the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (SB2408) do?
The major components of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (SB2408) will make Illinois a leader in the nation by putting us on the path to 100% clean energy by the middle of this century. CEJA will:
Build an Equitable Clean Energy Future for All
- Over $80 million per year for workforce and contractor development programs targeted in equity focused communities, including 16 hubs throughout the state
Minimum diversity and equity requirements for all renewable energy projects and dedicated support for disadvantaged contractors to participate in the clean energy economy- Creates new training programs for soon-to-be released people who are incarcerated for jobs in the solar and energy efficiency sectors
- Creates a Green Bank to finance clean energy projects and a Jobs and Environmental Justice Grant Program to provide seed capital for disadvantaged businesses
Protect the Planet and Public Health
- Sets Illinois on a path to a 100% clean energy future by 2050 and delivers 100% carbon-free power by 2045, by closing coal and fossil gas on timelines that guarantee climate action, public health protection, and prioritization of environmental justice communities. This includes closing the nation’s 7th largest polluter by 2045, with 45% emissions reductions by 2035.
- Funding to get from 9% to 40% renewable energy by 2030 and 50% by 2040 by building 3.5x more renewable energy each year than FEJA
- Commits up to $80m per year over the next decade to electric transportation with 45% of benefits going to environmental justice and low-income communities
Hold Utilities Accountable
- Ends formula rates and revolutionizes ratemaking to align utility spending with performance measures driven by reliability, equity, affordability, and clean energy goals
- Rigorous new ethics standards with restrictions on and transparency into utility lobbying and spending
- New ICC ethics oversight division to audit and enforce utility ethics compliance
Ensure Affordable Energy Bills and Expands Consumer Protections
- Creates a process for a new low-income rate and prohibits various late fees for low- income customers
- Increases the Illinois Solar for All program from $10m/year to $50m/year
- Creates new inclusive financing mechanisms for families to invest in energy upgrades
Transition Fossil Fuel Workers and Communities
- Establishes a $40 million grant program for communities where nuclear or fossil fuel- generators and mines have or will close to grants to address the social and economic impacts
- Establishes the Displaced Energy Worker Bill of Rights for fossil fuel plant workers
- Creates incentives to build solar generation and energy storage at the site of closed or soon-to-close coal generation
Create and Protect Good-Paying, Carbon-Free Jobs
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Photo credit: Elevate Protects over 2,000 jobs in nuclear energy plants by providing financial carbon mitigation credits to three nuclear plants for a five-year period, at $5 billion less than Exelon demanded
- Immediately opens the closed solar incentive programs to save solar jobs, and creates thousands of new renewable jobs
- Expands labor standards to require project labor agreements on all utility-scale projects
