{"id":9830,"date":"2015-04-02T13:53:10","date_gmt":"2015-04-02T18:53:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/energyexchange\/?p=9830"},"modified":"2017-02-07T13:03:04","modified_gmt":"2017-02-07T19:03:04","slug":"clean-energy-legislation-in-the-heartland-promises-jobs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/energyexchange\/2015\/04\/02\/clean-energy-legislation-in-the-heartland-promises-jobs\/","title":{"rendered":"Clean Energy Legislation in the Heartland Promises Jobs"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Source:<\/a><\/p>\n

Clean energy advocates tend to maintain a bi-coastal focus. No doubt my California and New York colleagues often see their states as the bellwethers when it comes to new policy initiatives. But, real innovation is taking place in Illinois, a state that national clean energy advocates tend only to fly over.<\/p>\n

For the next couple of months, Illinois\u2019 legislative session will be in full swing, giving lawmakers the chance to craft policies that redefine an electric utility, establish markets that reward clean energy, and set the foundation for the Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s proposed Clean Power Plan<\/a>, which will put in place\u00a0the nation\u2019s first-ever limits on carbon pollution from existing power plants.<\/p>\n

The best opportunity to achieve these goals is through legislation called the Illinois Clean Jobs Bill<\/a>. This legislation is backed by a broad coalition of groups that, in the past, have found themselves at odds, but are now pulling in the same direction.<\/p>\n

[Tweet “#CleanEnergy Legislation in the Heartland Promises Jobs @dickmunson #CleanJobsIL<\/a>“]<\/p>\n

Not all policies are created equal<\/strong><\/p>\n

Three different policy proposals are currently vying for attention. In broad terms, the three broad policy outlines can be described as:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. The Exelon-only, nuclear-rescue bill;<\/li>\n
  2. The preserve-ComEd\u2019s-bottom-line legislation; and<\/li>\n
  3. The Clean Jobs future-investment proposal.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Exelon, one of Illinois\u2019 largest utilities, began the bidding by proposing subsidies for its uneconomic nuclear reactors. Its proposal, however, landed with a resounding thud, as lawmakers, policy experts, and others correctly saw this bill as a bailout<\/a> for a profitable company. ComEd, an Exelon subsidiary, weighed in with several measures to ensure the utility can continue to profit even as the power system increasingly relies on energy efficiency and clean distributed generation, such as rooftop solar panels.<\/p>\n

    Meanwhile, the new Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition<\/a>, of which Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) is a member, has made inroads by promoting a comprehensive bill that enhances renewable and conservation standards while envisioning a market-based framework for reducing carbon emissions.<\/p>\n

    Although Exelon and its ComEd subsidiary employ scores of high-priced lobbyists and make substantial political contributions<\/a>, the Clean Jobs proposal has garnered more co-sponsors within the Illinois General Assembly. This is in large part the result of the coalition \u2013 composed of business executives, environmentalists, consumer advocates, and faith-based activists \u2013focusing on both the environmental and economic benefits of the Clean Jobs Bill, principally creating a target of 32,000 jobs each year.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s all about job-creation<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Employment, in fact, has become a key issue within the energy debates \u2013 and an area of real contrast. Exelon argues that most of the $300 million<\/a> it wants to obtain from Illinois residents and businesses through this bill will preserve jobs that already exist at Exelon facilities. ComEd\u2019s proposal promises<\/a> 400 new full-time jobs. The Clean Jobs Coalition, in contrast, will create new jobs in innovative businesses that bring investment and opportunity to every part of the Land of Lincoln.<\/p>\n

    More than 100,000 Illinoisans<\/a> already work in the clean energy industry, and that figure is growing nine to 10 percent annually. Even sharper job growth will result if lawmakers increase the share of power coming from renewable sources, like wind and solar, to 35 percent by 2030; reduce electricity waste through energy efficiency by 20 percent by 2025; and maintain the option of market-based strategies to reduce carbon pollution.<\/p>\n

    Between now and the legislative session\u2019s end in early summer, Clean Jobs Coalition members, including EDF, will be encouraging lawmakers to not just make do with the old ways of generating electricity, but also to enable an innovative, diverse, and clean electricity system that costs less, delivers reliable power, and creates thousands of long-lasting, well-paying jobs.<\/p>\n

    Such progress would highlight Illinois\u2019 leadership and might even encourage our bi-coastal, clean energy allies to do more than simply fly over the Heartland.<\/p>\n

    Photo source: Flickr\/bobchin1941<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Clean energy advocates tend to maintain a bi-coastal focus. No doubt my California and New York colleagues often see their states as the bellwethers when it comes to new policy initiatives. But, real innovation is taking place in Illinois, a state that national clean energy advocates tend only to fly over. For the next couple …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":39893,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[42996,40302,307],"tags":[],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-9830","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-smart-power","category-illinois","category-jobs"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nClean Energy Legislation in the Heartland Promises Jobs - Energy Exchange<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/energyexchange\/2015\/04\/02\/clean-energy-legislation-in-the-heartland-promises-jobs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Clean Energy Legislation in the Heartland Promises Jobs - Energy Exchange\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Clean energy advocates tend to maintain a bi-coastal focus. 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