Katie Stonewater | Executive Director, Energy Council | 312-386-7795





Not much happened this week in energy and environment Committee and floor wise, but more bills are being referred to committees and things are starting to move. The the end of the "quiet" weeks has arrived. Let's move into two events, a quick recap from this week, what we are seeing for next, and more.



February 22, 2019

SECOND ANNUAL WOMEN IN BUSINESS CONFERENCE - MARCH 15
The Illinois Chamber of Commerce is hosting its second Women in Business conference on March 15th, 2019 in Oak Brook, IL. The event will bring together business leaders from across the State to encourage all attendees to invest in themselves, become courageous leaders, and be a force in their careers.

Our panel topics this year focus on practices to better diversify corporations and understanding why diversity brings more business success; individual communication tactics to send a message of confidence; and learning from proven influencers on the skills that can help you get to where you want to be professionally. These panels will be capped with keynote addresses by inspiring speakers to embolden attendees to blaze their own path. The event will end with a networking and social event. You don't want to miss out on this fun event!
 
For more information, the agenda, sponsorship information, and how to register, visit the conference website!
 
ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE - YOU'RE INVITED - MARCH 5TH
In the interest of getting our members in front of as many new Directors and Legislators as possible, the EAC and Energy Council have agreed to invite each other's members to their first meetings of the year. Please join the Environmental Affairs Committee on March 5th from 2p-4pm and hear from IEPA Director John Kim. The meeting will also include a legislative update and environmental regulatory discussion.
 
Details: Illinois Chamber Office - 215 E. Adams St, Springfield
March 5th, 2p-4p
 
Energy Council meeting will be held during session in Springfield at the end of March/beginning of April.
 
SPRINGFIELD
This Week
House Public Utilities met and moved two bills to the Regulatory Matters subcommittee - HB2171 (Morrison) and HB2172 (Morrison) are repeats from last year. HB2171 would require natural gas utilities to demonstrate that existing customers will not subsidize the cost of new facilities beyond what is provided for in rules and in excess of certain payments by customers to approve new construction. Further requires the ICC's order for new construction shall address the economic impact on customers. HB2172 which requires a natural gas utility to submit with its annual filing certain information concerning existing and newly installed pipeline facilities to the ICC.
 
Next Week - At the time of this writing, Senate Committees had not posted for Thursday.
Tuesday
House Public Utilities is posted for its regularly scheduled time of 2pm on Tuesday. A lot of bills posted, so for the full list click to the Committee posting.
 
HB2657 (Moeller) and SB1631 (Ellman) Provides that an alternative retail electric supplier and alternative gas supplier shall: make certain information available on its website; send a separate written notice or electronic mail informing the residential customer of the upcoming change in price or other charge; and not automatically renew a contract with a residential customer at a rate higher than the initial term of the contract or automatically change or renew a fixed contract to a variable rate contract. Provides that all marketing materials shall contain the Historical Price to Compare from the immediately preceding 12 months. Establishes additional provisions impacting ARES.
 
HB2711, 2712, and 2713 are likely shell bills. The bills currently would require various studies to be performed.
 
HB2728 (Mah) provides that the IEPA shall consider adverse impacts on environmental justice communities relating to granting a permit or permit renewal before publishing a draft permit for public comment. The bill would codify environmental justice policies that the IEPA considers now and adds requirements beyond current practices.
 
HB2733 (Morrison) requires for the ICC to grant a project in the interest of public convenience and necessity only if the utility demonstrates that customers will not pay for the construction of new infrastructure or facilities they would not use.
 
HB2801 (Welch) requires DCEO, ICC, IPA, and IEPA to design a broad-based policy approach to decarbonize the electricity sector by 2030. This is part of the Clean Jobs Coalition package of bills.
 
HB2855 (Gabel) requires the ICC to open a plan for transportation electrification. The bill requires the plan to include incentives. The ICC held a Notice of Inquiry over the fall to examine its role and plausibility of expanding transportation electrification. Another component of the Clean Jobs Coalition package.
 
HB2861 (Walsh) is the likely shell bill for further activity on capacity markets and broader energy policy changes that could include additional ZECs. Another component of the Clean Jobs Coalition package and the nuclear industry.
 
HB2899 (Yingling) requires the purpose of the Alternative Fuels Act as pushing the use of electrification instead of alternative fuels.
 
HB2926 (Slaughter) requires an independent study on battery storage and requires certain things to be analyzes, such as cost-savings to customers.
 
HB2956 (Davis) would eliminate the exemption set through FEJA for large electricity users (10MW and over) from participating in energy efficiency and demand response programs and charges. The Chamber is opposed.
 
House Environment will meet at 3pm on Tuesday. For the full posting, see here.
HB2076 (Villa) would ban the use of bisphenol A (BPA) in paper products in business and banking records. It impacts receipts, so anyone that has a business that deals with point of sale receipts would likely be impacted.
 
HB2491 (Walsh) Provides that to the extent allowed by federal law, uncontaminated plastics that meet feedstock specifications for a gasification facility or pyrolysis facility, and that are further processed by a gasification facility or pyrolysis facility and returned to the economic mainstream in the form of crude oil, diesel, gasoline, home heating oil or other fuels, chemicals, waxes, lubricants, chemical feedstocks, diesel and gasoline blendstocks, or other raw materials or intermediate or final products, are considered recycled and are not subject to regulation as waste. The Chamber supports this bill.
HB2956 (Sosnowski) would remove requirement that towns with less than 10,000 people had to pay certain discharge fees, the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System.
 
HB2764 would require manifests from the Pollution Control Board for the shipment of nonhazardous special waste shall be from the IEPA, rather than those used for the shipment of hazardous waste.
HB2966 (Davis) would expand the renewable portfolio standard to 40% and expand the RPS program while providing efficiencies. The bill, among other provisions, seeks to have the IPA procure battery storage projects by 2021.
 
House Judiciary - Criminal could hear HB1633. The bill would impose stricter criminal penalties on a person who knowingly damages critical infrastructure such as pipelines, railways, transmission, etc.  The Chamber supports the bill.

Wednesday
Senate Local Government is scheduled for 9am. The Committee could hear SB1114 (Bush) which allows a county, if it finds an imminent hazard to the public health or safety exists arising from an unfit condition, may bring an action for immediate injunctive relief. These can include garbage, human or animal waste, debris, or "other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials from a structure or property." While the bill is likely geared toward garbage, etc. it could include a host of other things with the general nature of "other hazardous substances...".
 
Senate State Government has SB1834, posted for a 2pm Committee. The bill would give preferential treatment to products manufactured in Illinois.

Senate Executive posted for 2pm, and could hear SB1407, Amdt 1 (Hastings), which creates the Illinois Hazardous Materials Workforce Training Act. The bill would have the effect of requiring all construction and maintenance work at privately owned petroleum refineries and petrochemical facilities within the state to be exclusively performed by members of certain trade unions.

At 2.30pm, House State Governments meets. We are monitoring HB935 (McSweeney) which makes a series of changes to the JCAR process to allow the private sector to provide economic analysis of proposed rules or rule changes and have those analysis included.

HB2460 (Davis) Creates the Illinois Sustainable Investing Act that any public agency or governmental unit (such as schools) shall develop and implement sustainable investment policies and incorporate those into new and existing investments. Some of those policies include consideration of corporate governance, leadership factors, social capital costs, and environmental factors such as greenhouse gases. The Chamber is opposed to the bill.
 
HB2707 (Connor) requires the use of energy-efficient toilets for any upgrades or new construction on behalf of the State.
 
HB2992 (Thapedi) requires the Secretary of State to maintain a list of domestic and foreign corporations under the Public Utilities Act and other Acts that hold a license, franchise, or other right to do business in the State. Requires the SOS to provide that information to the ICC and the status of those corporations.
 
At 2.30pm on Wednesday, House Labor and Commerce meets at could hear HB249 (Walsh). The bill has been posted for a few weeks. Like SB1407, it would create the Illinois Hazardous Materials Workforce Training Act.
 
CLEAN JOBS COALITION LAYS OUT PROPOSAL
On Thursday, the Clean Jobs Coalition introduce their ask for this legislative session. The Clean Energy Jobs Act HB3624 (Williams) and SB2132 (Castro) While we dig through the 365-page bill, a few highlights below to estimate the vastness of the proposal.
 
The bill calls for the state to:
  • decarbonize by 2030;
  • require Illinois to take over capacity markets from PJM, carrying the water for the nuclear industry for now;
  • a call to 100% renewables for the electricity sector by 2050;
  • electrifying the transportation network, including rebates to install personal EV infrastructure;
  • numerous job programs and community programs to promote clean energy.
 
RADIO HOST TODD MAISCH TALKS WITH AMEREN CEO RICHARD MARK
Illinois Chamber President and CEO Todd Maisch guest hosted Springfield's 1450 Sports Radio morning show. Richard Mark, Ameren President and CEO, spoke with Todd about their energy efficiency programs, how they are working to improve the grid for customers, workforce and the numerous jobs that utilities have to offer and the programs they have in place for training the next generation workforce, and more. Listen to the segment here. Big thank you to Ameren for participating!

ILLINOIS CHAMBER LOBBY DAY
Please save the day for our 2019 Chamber lobby day on March 20th. If you would like to register, you can do so here.

IL Chamber Energy Council | | [email protected] | 215 E Adams St.
Springfield, IL 62701

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