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After union criticism, Pritzker expresses confidence in ICC chair, members

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Illinois

* First some background from a column I wrote in December…

Three of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s appointees to the Illinois Commerce Commission have not yet been confirmed by the Illinois Senate, including the chair, Doug Scott.

All three unconfirmed appointees have recently voted against the stated interests of trade unions.

Senate President Don Harmon has assiduously courted trade union support and has raised millions of campaign dollars from them.

So, right off the bat, the legislative math is pretty clear, even though Harmon’s office opted not to comment for this column.

Operating Engineers Union Local 150 is one of the most politically engaged trade unions in Illinois. The union blasted an ICC vote in November that “paused” $265 million in natural gas pipeline replacement work next year by Peoples Gas, calling it “a troubling example of political overreach” by “unconfirmed appointees” who are “playing games with peoples’ jobs, heat, and safety as we head toward the holidays and the cold of winter.” […]

Mark Poulos, Local 150’s top lobbyist, told me last week the ICC’s decision will cost his union members 1.5 million person-hours of work next year, and he’s furiously warning the ICC commissioners’ confirmation hearings might not go so well in the Senate.

* From a Friday press release…

Gov. Pritzker Announces Eighteen Appointments to Boards and Commissions […]

Doug Scott will continue to serve as Member and Chair of the Illinois Commerce Commission.* Before being appointed to the Commission, Scott served as the Vice-President for Energy Systems at the Great Plains Institute (GPI). In this role, he addressed climate strategy and regulatory response as well as issues involving the changing utility business model. Before joining GPI, Scott served as Chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission, and prior to that, as Director of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Scott’s public service also includes a term as Mayor of Rockford, Illinois; three terms as an Illinois State Representative; and ten years as an attorney for the City of Rockford. Scott earned a Bachelor of Arts with honors from the University of Tulsa and a Juris Doctor with honors from Marquette University. […]

* Appointments pending confirmation by the Illinois Senate.

* Gov. Pritzker was asked today if he was worried about Chair Scott’s confirmation. Pritzker didn’t directly answer the question…

Well, he’s not alone in making those decisions. As you know, it’s a bipartisan commission. And all of the commissioners have participated in the decisions that have been made over the last few months that have been great for clean energy, that have been good for consumers, making sure that we’re trying to keep the rates that they’re paying as low as possible. So I’m very pleased with the work that they’re doing. And and I look forward to them being confirmed by the state Senate.

Thoughts?

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jan 22, 24 @ 2:13 pm

Comments

It’s good that the ICC exists because People’s Gas as a monopoly would extract even more from Illinoisan’s pockets.

Comment by Chicagonk Monday, Jan 22, 24 @ 2:47 pm
Doug Scott and the new commissioners are critical not only to our clean energy future but also to keeping a lid on energy prices and balancing the interests during the energy transition. I expect they’ll be confirmed but not without some drama which you wrote about in December. The governor is clearly committed to them. As the relationship has improved between the Gov’s Administration and the Senate, I can’t imagine anyone wants to reverse course.

Comment by New Day Monday, Jan 22, 24 @ 2:48 pm
Peoples Gas advertising at the botanical gardens is revolting, I’m sorry.

Comment by Macon Bakin Monday, Jan 22, 24 @ 2:54 pm
The ICC rulings in December against PGL, ComEd and Ameren will have detrimental effects to union and non union construction supporting jobs, small and disadvantaged businesses, economic growth and what the governor and commissioners must not realize is the ruling will significantly impact home-grown renewable energy in Illinois. Something the administration has been touting and ribbon cutting the past year. These democratic ideologies have gone away apparently all for lower consumer rates and/or to support out of state renewable imports.. How about some balanced and consistent approach to ICC rulings and IL governance.

Comment by Steve Monday, Jan 22, 24 @ 3:15 pm
So the ICC is saying that gas leaking from 100 year old pipes under the streets is not worth spending money on repairing?

http://tinyurl.com/38hd7ba8

Comment by Chicago 20 Monday, Jan 22, 24 @ 3:15 pm
Laughing so hard at Gen Z bringing back shopping malls. What’s old is new again, same as it ever was. Nice addition to the roundup.

Comment by George Ryan Reynolds Monday, Jan 22, 24 @ 4:03 pm
“… is not worth spending money on repairing?”

They should have been doing it all along.

Comment by Anyone Remember Monday, Jan 22, 24 @ 5:18 pm