SE Illinois News

Veteran state Sen. Dale Fowler (R-Harrisburg) views the passage of Senate Bill 2408 as a lost opportunity for Illinois.

“This energy proposal was an opportunity to recognize the importance of our coal industry and work collaboratively to establish an energy package that would protect jobs, safeguard Illinois’ energy portfolio and ensure we have reliable energy for Illinoisans,” Fowler posted on Facebook. “Disappointingly, the opportunity was missed and it will have costly consequences for Illinoisans.”

While signing Senate Bill 2408 into law, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Illinois is now the only Midwestern state in the country requiring 100% carbon-free energy by the year 2045.

Fowler argues that misses the point.

“This energy proposal overlooks the reliability that coal provides to Illinois’ energy portfolio, relying instead on massive subsidies for wind and solar while placing a target on our privately-owned coal plants,” he said. “The energy package also includes a dangerous eminent domain provision that threatens landowners and is a direct assault on our state’s agricultural sector.”

With the bill also including language that paves the way for the investment of $700 million for Exelon and its plan to keep nuclear plants in Byron and Morris in operation, Pritzker is also selling the measure as legislation that “doubles” the state's investments in renewable energy and "makes it clear to the world that Illinois is open for business with long-term stable financing to boot."

Again, Fowler sees things differently.

“This isn’t real comprehensive energy policy,” he said. “This is an attack on our coal industry that will undoubtedly bring about the greatest energy rate hike in Illinois history, eliminate jobs and will hurt the future of our state.”