Bill Text: IL SJR0072 | 2011-2012 | 97th General Assembly | Engrossed

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Bill Title: Recognizes Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the community residents and organizations of Pilsen and Little Village in Chicago, the Chicago Clean Power Coalition, and Midwest Generation for their work and leadership in reaching the agreed resolution to retire coal-fired power plants at the Fisk and Crawford stations in accordance with the goals and objectives of the proposed Chicago Clean Power Ordinance.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Failed) 2013-01-08 - Session Sine Die [SJR0072 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2011-SJR0072-Engrossed.html

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SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 72
(As Amended by Senate Amendment No. 2)
WHEREAS, On February 29, 2012, Midwest Generation
announced that it would retire its two Chicago power plants as
the result of an agreement with the City of Chicago and Mayor
Rahm Emanuel, which was reached in consultation with community
groups and aldermen; and
WHEREAS, Residents in communities neighboring these
facilities, including Pilsen and Little Village, joined with a
broad and diverse coalition of community, labor, health, faith,
youth, and environmental organizations to form the Chicago
Clean Power Coalition to advocate for the eventual retirement
of these facilities as a part of a national transition to new
energy sources; and
WHEREAS, The Clean Power Coalition partners include the
following organizations: 8th Day Center for Justice, 49th Ward
Green Corps, Action Now, Aerotecture International Inc.,
American Renewable Energy & Power, LLC, American Medical
Student Association-UIC, Blacks in Green, Bridgeport Alliance,
Buddhist Peace Fellowship, CAPOW! Citizens Act to Protect Our
Water, Chicago Youth Climate Coalition, Citizen
Action/Illinois, Citizens Against Ruining the Environment,
Citizens Committee for a Clean Blue Island, Collective

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Consciousness Movement, Consolidated Printing, David Weiner &
Associates, Design Makes Change, Doctors Council SEIU,
Eco-Justice Collaborative, Energy Action Coalition,
Environment Illinois, Environmental Law & Policy Center, Faith
in Place, Gaia Movement USA, Green Guy Solutions, Green
Sanctuary Group, Beverly Unitarian Church, Greenpeace, Growing
Station Community Garden, KenJiva Energy Systems, Illinois
Solar Energy Association, Illinois Student Environmental
Coalition, Little Village Environmental Justice Organization,
Loyola University's Student Environmental Alliance, Natural
Resources Defense Council, Nuclear Energy Information Service,
Oikos: The Religion and Environment Initiative, Peace
Productions, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Pilsen
Alliance, Pilsen Environmental Rights & Reform Organization,
Progressive Democrats of America, Protestants for the Common
Good, Rainforest Action Network Chicago, Ravenswood Community
Council, Resource Center, Respiratory Health Association of
Metropolitan Chicago, Sierra Club, Southeast Environmental
Task Force, Southsiders Organized for Unity and Liberation,
SolAir Works, Inc., SAIC Student Environmental Activism Group,
Students for a Just and Stable Future at the University of
Chicago, Team 15 United, Topless America, Union of Concerned
Scientists, Community Action Program at the UIC College of
Medicine, Urban Sustain, Wellington Avenue UCC, and Windy City
Green Power; and

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WHEREAS, The timing of the decision to retire these
facilities, and the schedule for the retirement of these
facilities, was the result of a process initiated by Mayor
Emanuel; and
WHEREAS, Midwest Generation and the City of Chicago have
entered into an agreement finding that the timetable for the
retirement of these facilities achieves the objectives of the
proposed Chicago Clean Power Ordinance; and
WHEREAS, The closure of these facilities will help the City
of Chicago and the State of Illinois achieve their clean air
goals; and
WHEREAS, The process undertaken by Midwest Generation and
the City of Chicago included community, public health, and
environmental groups, which agreed not to pursue certain
pending litigation against Midwest Generation; and
WHEREAS, Once operations at these facilities cease,
Midwest Generation will maintain the facilities in a safe and
prudent manner as redevelopment opportunities and funding are
explored; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

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CONCURRING HEREIN, that we recognize Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the
community residents and organizations of Pilsen and Little
Village in Chicago, the Chicago Clean Power Coalition, and
Midwest Generation for their work and leadership in reaching
the agreed resolution to retire coal-fired power plants at the
Fisk and Crawford stations in accordance with the goals and
objectives of the proposed Chicago Clean Power Ordinance; and
be it further
RESOLVED, That we support the ongoing efforts to determine
clean, new uses for these facilities and to transition these
facilities to uses that improve the quality of life in these
communities; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we acknowledge that thousands of
hard-working and dedicated men and women have worked at these
facilities since the early 1900s, producing the electricity
that was essential to build the City of Chicago; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That we urge the Governor and the agencies of the
State of Illinois to support efforts to retire these facilities
and to transition these facilities into uses that improve the
quality of life in the communities in which they are located;
and be it further

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RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
presented to the Governor, Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Midwest
Generation, the Little Village Environmental Justice
Organization, the Pilsen Alliance, the Pilsen Environmental
Rights and Reform Organization, and the members of the Chicago
Clean Power Coalition.