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Springfield News: Hundreds Gather in State Capitol to Support Low Carbon Energy Bill

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Members of a broad coalition – including organized labor, business, and nonprofit organizations from around Illinois – led a group of nearly 600 concerned citizens to the Capitol to make their voices heard on legislation to help preserve low carbon energy facilities around the state that are vital to their communities.

The coalition organized a packed rally in the Capitol Rotunda before hundreds of activists broke off to meet with their legislators to discuss the Low Carbon Portfolio Standard (LCPS) bill currently before the General Assembly.

Community, labor and business leaders who spoke out in support of the LCPS included: Reverend Dr. Leon Finney, Jr., Metropolitan Apostolic Community Church in Chicago; Illinois AFL-CIO President Michael Carrigan; Doug O’Brien, Illinois Clean Energy Coalition; Roderick Hawkins, Chicago Urban League; Omar Duque, Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Deanna Mershon, Byron Chamber of Commerce; and the bill’s bipartisan sponsors, Sen. Donne Trotter, Sen. Sue Rezin, and Rep. Larry Walsh.

The group delivered a petition signed by over 10,000 Illinois residents to legislative leaders urging passage of the LCPS before the end of the legislative session.

The supporters are advocating for legislation to preserve existing low carbon energy facilities, including three of the state’s six nuclear energy plants that are economically challenged and in jeopardy of being prematurely shuttered due to outdated energy policies. A recent State of Illinois report found that these closures would result in nearly 8,000 lost jobs, $1.8 billion in lost economic activity per year, and up to $500 million in higher energy costs annually.

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Thursday, May 7, 15 @ 12:07 pm

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