ENERGY COUNCIL
Newsletter

KATIE STONEWATER

Executive Director
Energy Council

 
 
312-386-7795

February 26, 2018

SPRINGFIELD
Both the House and Senate are in session this week. Here's a look at what's ahead.

House Environment will hold a subject matter hearing Tuesday at 4:00pm on clean construction debris. 

House Judiciary-Civil will hold a subject matter hearing on eminent domain and property conveyances.  I am told by staff that the hearing will only cover HB4150, Representative Parkhurst's bill that prohibits eminent domain for railroad projects.  We will still monitor the hearing as there are a few eminent domain bills targeting the energy sector that have been introduced.  Further, the Judiciary-Civil Subcommittee on Civil Procedure heard HB2532 last year.  Rep. Moeller has introduced that legislation again this year as HB5564. It is currently still in House Rules.

The House International Trade and Commerce Committee and House Energy Committee will hold a subject matter hearing on Wednesday at 3pm on the White House's tariffs on solar panels and its implications for the Future Energy Jobs Act in Illinois.  The Chamber has been asked to and will testify.

Senate Judiciary meets on Tuesday at 3.15pm and SB3005 is posted.  This is Senator Raoul's legislation that changes the definition of an impacted party to give new legal standing to individuals who will be able to sue over air pollution, ground water contamination, etc. This vastly expands who has standing in a case which are currently limited to affected parties.  This stems from a case filed in 2012 by environmentalists and residents arguing a proposed mine would have property and health impacts to the residents.  The Court dismissed that case. The Chamber has confirmed the Senator will not call the legislation this week but rather amend it to limit its scope to environmental cases.   

Senate Environment and Conservation is scheduled for Thursday.  There are three bills posted - SB2643 (McConchie) which impacts vehicle inspection stations; SB2824 (Koehler), deals with permitting requirements for levees; SB3069 (Morrison) implements an Executive Order transferring the duties of the Office of Energy and Recycling under DCEO to the EPA.

For an idea of what has moved and been referred to Committee, see the attached  PDF with bill descriptions. 

ILLINOIS CHAMBER HOSTS INAUGURAL WOMEN'S CONFERENCE - March 27th
Illinois women are Second to No One. On March 27, 2018 join the Illinois Chamber of Commerce at our inaugural conference to harness the experiences, leadership, and aspirations of women in business, politics, and the nonprofit world to explore what it takes to put more cracks in that glass ceiling. Hear from inspiring women who've been through it and take away that energy to blaze your own path. This conference aims to empower our already Strong Women for a Stronger Illinois.


ILLINOIS COMMERCE COMMISSION ANNOUNCES POLICY SESSION ON ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND THE GRID - April 4th
The ICC will host a policy session on April 4 th on the relationship between electric vehicles and grid stabilization.  Acting Commissioner Anastasia Palivos will host the conference and is interested to learn stakeholders' perspectives on the implications of increased deployment of electric vehicles on the electric grid.  The session will discuss "best practices and trends in the rate structuring for accessibility and the promotion of efficiency."  Further, the ICC plans to discuss if Illinois' existing electric vehicle regulations can encourage optimal energy efficiency, and if not, "what the state should to do improve them." 

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Springfield, IL 62701

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