Sangamon Sun

The Consumers and Climate First Act proposal “picks winners and losers.” It can be damaging to Illinoisans.

This is how Rick Terven, legislative and political director of Illinois Pipe Trades Association sees Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s energy legislation.  

“[It] leaves out many potential ways our state can significantly reduce its carbon footprint without as much economic disruption,” Terven said. “Our union members work at and help maintain nearly every single facility that is at risk of closure in the proposed energy legislation. Because of this, the impact on our members and their families will be substantial.”

The association has approximately 30,000 union plumbers, pipefitters, and sprinkler fitters across Illinois. Despite being able to understand the necessity to transition to cleaner energy in the state, Terven emphasized that many will become jobless.

“Our concern is the current proposal is so aggressive and unrealistic in forcing plant closures,” he said. “It will cause unnecessary pain for many workers, businesses, and communities across the state. We've been told there is a desire to craft an energy bill that prioritizes a just transition for fossil fuel workers. Unfortunately, we think the current proposal falls very short of this goal.”

The organized labor official feels “there's a better approach that can largely achieve the same end goals but it's more thoughtful and sensitive to the impact on workers as it is right now.”

“We are asking the negotiators of the legislation to more fully acknowledge the effect the bill will have on working families,” Terven stated. “This is such a massive issue, it's not one we can just wing it and go back later and fix the mistakes. We have to get it right the first time or the unintended consequences would be devastating.”

The governor aspires to ultimately eliminate both coal- and gas-fired power plants. Coal would be phased out by 2030 and natural gas would be gone 15 years after the elimination of coal.

The Consumers and Climate First Act additionally includes “declining caps on greenhouse gas emissions and an $8 per ton carbon price, with a 3% escalator each year, on carbon emissions from fossil fuel-fired units (coal-fired, coal-derived, oil-fired, natural gas-fired, and cogeneration units) greater than 25 MW in nameplate capacity,” which could lead to factory shutdowns.