Promoting Clean Energy

Embracing clean energy would create jobs by modernizing our economy, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and help combat global warming.  A green economy is the future, and I believe Illinois cannot hesitate to embrace its advantages.

The Green Economy:

More money should be put into attracting renewable energy companies, along with other high tech industries, into the state.  For too long, these companies have left Illinois for other states that have taken a more proactive approach to the green economy.  While state government has committed to 25% clean energy by 2025, there is concern in the industry that the money appropriated for clean energy projects will be diverted toward other uses due to the budget crisis.  I will be an advocate for clean energy in Springfield and fight to ensure funding is used as originally intended.  I also support using federal stimulus money to encourage retrofitting buildings and the construction of renewable energy facilities across the state.  Finally, new discoveries have made natural gas more cost-competitive with coal power and Illinois should focus on those technologies for baseload power.

Fisk & Crawford Coal Power Plants:

Good health and a clean environment go hand-in-hand, and the Fisk and Crawford coal power plants in Chicago have a negative impact on both. Located just outside the 9th district, these power plants were grandfathered into the Clean Air Act and have not been held to the same pollution standards as newer power plants built in the past 30 years.

Recent estimates indicate that these plants emit 230 lbs of mercury, 17,765 tons of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, and 260,000 lbs of soot into the air. Worse yet, the Harvard School of Public Health estimates that, each year, these emissions are responsible for 311 premature deaths, 4100 emergency room visits, and 21,500 asthma attacks. In part thanks to these power plants, Chicago residents are hospitalized for asthma at a rate that is double the national average.

It is time someone put the health of Chicagoans above polluting business interests, and I intend to be that person.

Mass Transit:

Public transportation is also an important component in addressing our energy usage.  As it stands, mass transit is underfunded, and the funds available are squandered through inefficiencies and executive pay.  I believe Illinois must do everything it can to ensure mass transit is both efficient and safe.  A robust public transit system will reduce congestion on the streets and save energy, but people will not use it unless it meets their needs.