CEJA Marches Forward

Working to pass in Veto Session:  The Clean Energy Jobs Act

By Connie Schmidt

Across the state, the volunteer lobby team members of Sierra Club are scheduling meetings this fall with IL state legislators to encourage the vote for CEJA during the veto session in November. There are four reasons why this is an urgent need.

In light of the Commonwealth Edison scandal, Utility Accountability is extremely important and has been added to the bill. There are bold new ethics requirements and consumer protections embedded in this bill. Increased transparency with lobby and the legislature will create trust in the job of bringing clean energy to IL.

Illinois and the entire country and world are suffering from economic downturn. Economic Recovery is a cornerstone of this bill providing jobs in the Clean Energy sector as well in energy efficiency. New business opportunity, and boosting energy efficiency jobs, will be a boon for employment in IL for residents and their families.

Our society is facing self-examination of its practices and the need for Racial Justice in providing jobs and opportunities for Clean Energy in disadvantaged communities and those most impacted by the filthy fossil fuel industry. This bill has a workforce hub for fair-wage jobs and business opportunities geared toward providing some priorities to disadvantaged individuals in the population.

Last and most important, this bill is a vehicle to act to mitigate Climate Change through historic new practices. Electrifying the transportation sector is an example of this emphasis. More charging stations in all areas and communities, electrifying public transportation systems, and encouraging ride sharing are all highlighted in this bill. 

The CEJA bill is now over 800 pages long. It provides a roadmap for a carbon-free IL by 2030. We can and must encourage our state to be a leader to move our society forward with energy security, economic recovery, racial justice, and working to mitigate the dangers of Climate Change. Everyone is encouraged to contact their State Representative to either ask or thank them for their current support and to speak out for this issue to be called to question during the veto session.