Despite pressure from activists around the state, Gov. JB Pritzker said Wednesday the General Assembly will wait until next year to pass a comprehensive clean energy bill.
The Herald-News asked Pritzker about the Clean Energy Jobs Act while he was in Plainfield to talk about new infrastructure projects. With only a few days left during the fall session in Springfield, Pritzker said the legislature would take up the bill during the next session in January.
The bill aims to put Illinois on the path to 100% renewable energy by 2050 through investing in clean energy industries and heavily reducing gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles on the road.
"We’re going to have to do a lot of work, there’s no doubt about it," he said. "But I felt like because there’s so much work, there’s so many hearings required for us to get where we need to be … it’s going to take us a little while in the new session."
While the bill has support from environmental groups, health care professionals and Will County area state legislators, it has yet to be taken up in the General Assembly.
Pritzker added that there were a number of issues yet to be settled, including how to handle nuclear power, how to expand solar and wind energy and how to help new clean energy companies.
Still, the governor reiterated his support to further investment in clean energy in Illinois.
"It’s very important to me that we live up to the Paris Climate Accords," Pritzker said.
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News,City: Joliet,Region: Joliet,Region: South Suburbs
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November 7, 2019 at 05:15PM
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