* Press release…
Labor coalition Climate Jobs Illinois today announced that it will expand the accountability, ethics and transparency reforms in the Climate Union Jobs Act by adding amendments from Rep. Larry Walsh Jr. and Sen. Michael Hastings. The action makes the Climate Union Jobs Act the most comprehensive legislation before the General Assembly this spring to move Illinois toward a clean energy economy.
Among the reforms being added to the Climate Union Jobs Act are:
• Establishing an independent Electric Utility Monitor to oversee ComEd during the deferred prosecution period. ComEd would be required to pay the state for the cost of the monitor. That cost cannot be passed on to customers. The monitor will:
o Conduct annual ethics audits and
o Document any violations and ensure disciplinary action is taken.
• Costs associated with state and federal investigations cannot be passed on to customers.
• Audit of whether the projects authorized under the Energy Infrastructure Modernization Act were prudent and reasonable. Any costs associated with compliance could not be passed on to customers.
• Require that ComEd pay customers an amount equal to the fines paid as a result of its deferred prosecution agreement.
* So I reached out to Rep. Ann Williams (D-Chicago), the chair of the House Energy & Environment Committee ans sponsor of the CEJA bill…
As Chief Sponsor of the Clean Energy Jobs Act, I remain focused on holding utilities accountable and ensuring a robust set of ethics and transparency provisions are the foundation of any clean energy package. I look forward to partnering with my friends in organized labor to make that happen as we work to create equitable jobs. All utilities should be held to the highest ethical standards and adhere to best practices in terms of accountability.
Exempting some utilities from oversight is not in the best interest of Illinois consumers, and returning to a self-policing model after only 2 years is insufficient. The proposals in CEJA would place independent monitors at every utility, require each utility to track interactions with public officials, prevent subcontracting of lobbyists, and provide standards to ensure every contract is on the up-and-up.
Thoughts?
- Avengers - Wednesday, Apr 21, 21 @ 2:11 pm:
Just as the sun rises in the east, here comes the ComEd *I mean Labor* amendment with words they can live with but don’t do anything. Would be willing to bet anything the utilities “oppose” this amendment. Not sure why this tactic is still a thing. ComEd’s guilty plea is public. No one is fooled anymore.
- Anonanonsir - Wednesday, Apr 21, 21 @ 2:46 pm:
I agree with Rep. Williams about monitoring all the utilities.
- GasReader - Wednesday, Apr 21, 21 @ 2:49 pm:
If Rep. Williams doesn’t want anything but her “pet energy bill” (CEJA) to move through the Illinois General Assembly — she should keep talking. Williams is an avowed “hater” of energy companies. Leave it to “haters” and Illinois grid will look like Texas. Only in Illinois would the House Energy Chair attempt to dismantle profitable companies like ComEd, Exelon and Ameren. Illinois is the country’s top energy market, so let’s tear it down and turn it into a welfare state. Ann is a nice person, but hasn’t taken the time to understand anything about the business and hundreds of thousands of jobs it creates annually for Illinois.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Apr 21, 21 @ 2:50 pm:
GasReader, you really should change your name to GasLighter.
lol
- Ok - Wednesday, Apr 21, 21 @ 3:15 pm:
To the point, Labor does need to start taking a long walk away from the utilities.
- IL4Life - Wednesday, Apr 21, 21 @ 3:24 pm:
@OK “To the point, Labor does need to start taking a long walk away from the utilities.”
They’re not going to do that until the wind/solar industries start paying union wages and employing their members, like the utilities do. The CUJA bill would do that. CEJA wouldn’t.
- Senator Clay Davis - Wednesday, Apr 21, 21 @ 3:28 pm:
Hey GasLighter, what makes Illinois the “country’s top energy market?” What does that even mean?
- Southern Skeptic - Wednesday, Apr 21, 21 @ 5:14 pm:
“They’re not going to do that until the wind/solar industries start paying union wages and employing their members, like the utilities do. The CUJA bill would do that. CEJA wouldn’t.”
CEJA isn’t the only pro-renewables bill out there. The Path bill long ago agreed to prevailing wage for anything other than the smallest residential and commercial systems. No other state has a standard that all encompassing. Labor and renewable companies will be working together for a long time to come.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Apr 21, 21 @ 5:20 pm:
Can anyone say Bill of Attainder?
- Joe - Wednesday, Apr 21, 21 @ 10:20 pm:
Most folks want good prevailing wage level jobs and a clean environment. Seems to me what gets lost as people take up sides, and maybe stop listening, is what options cost - - rates, taxes, etc. Who pays for what, specifically?
The Body Politic should decide what is best for the commonweal based on transparent costs-benefits.
Pray the Legislators make fact based decisions, and be positive.