The Illinois House has approved a wide-ranging plan to eliminate carbon emissions by 2050. The bill will increase electric cost and will require the Prairie Energy Campus near Marissa in Southwest Washington County and another plant in Springfield to reduce carbon emissions by 45 percent by 2035 and close in 2045 if they can’t reach zero emissions.
The legislation includes incentives for purchasing electric vehicles and invests in wind and solar power. Representative Robyn Gabel of Evanston is a big supporter.
“This legislation will take meaningful action that will address environmental priorities that are absolutely critical to us all. It will preserve and create jobs and make Illinois the leader in one of the fastest economic sectors in the world.”
The bill also provides money to keep the state’s nuclear fleet up and running, drawing the ire of State Representative Blaine Wilhour.
“A corrupt corporation gets a $700,000,000 ransom payment and we have the nerve to tell the working families in this state that they have to pay for it. We are forcing them out of their jobs. Force them to pay higher utility bills for less reliable energy. And we continue to do what we do best, put every policy in place that we can to ensure that good, high wage jobs won’t be created in the state of Illinois. Not ever again.”
Bill sponsors say the measure will add on average about four to five dollars a month to electric bills. The proposal still needs senate approval. The Governor said a bill earlier passed by the Senate didn’t go far enough.
