Bradley, Other Downstate Lawmakers Discuss Coal Promotion Legislation

As discussion heats up at the Capitol over energy policy, State Rep. John Bradley today proposed a plan to revive Illinois’ coal industry as part of a comprehensive approach to produce cleaner, more reliable energy and support jobs.

Bradley, D-Marion, was joined by downstate lawmakers of both parties and both chambers at a Statehouse news conference Tuesday supporting his new legislation to create incentives to burn Illinois coal more cleanly and use it more extensively, aimed at providing key support for a critical industry in downstate Illinois that has been hit hard in recent years.

Bradley’s proposed Illinois Energy and Environmental Security Act:

• Requires Illinois utilities to have purchasing agreements with clean-coal burning facilities, with a goal of those agreements representing at least 40 percent of their retail customer load starting in 2020
• Authorizes the Illinois Commerce Commission to devise a way to pay for “scrubbers” that allow Illinois coal-fired power plants to burn Illinois coal cleanly
• Allows the state of Illinois to purchase and sell Illinois coal to generating facilities if it chooses

  Bradley said the legislation is his effort to inject coal into the ongoing Springfield debate over energy policy in Illinois as Exelon, ComEd and other stakeholders present their proposals, and to show downstate lawmakers are willing to be part of the solution along with support for the jobs and opportunities Illinois coal presents.

  “Illinois coal has been such an important part of our state’s past success, and I believe it can be key to our state’s future growth if we can embrace new technologies,” Bradley said. “By asking the ICC to help us find a way to pay for the scrubbing technology, we will be able to breathe new life into this industry and create and support so many jobs and families downstate. Our state has a tremendous opportunity now to shape how we provide our residents and businesses the clean power we need, and coal is a critical part of the discussion.”