Clean Energy Programs Would Be Devastated.
Last December, legislators with the Governor’s support passed the Future Energy Jobs Act. A critical piece of this law was the designation of approximately $185 million remaining in the state’s Renewable Energy Resources Fund (RERF) to be used for the Illinois Solar for All Program. Legislators committed that the RERF dollars would be used to ensure that new solar development would occur in economically disadvantaged communities and a training pipeline would be set up to provide solar jobs in these areas. The Senate GOP proposal (SB 2217) would sweep every dollar from this program. Incredibly, less than a year after creating the Illinois Solar for All Program, the legislature would take the RERF funds and end the program.
Natural Resource Funds Would Also be Swept – Damaging Conservation Programs
The Senate budget plan includes broad language authorizing the sweep of nearly all special funds for 2 years. This would place every conservation fund at risk and jeopardize all of the programs that rely on those funds. This includes the Natural Areas Acquisition Fund (NAAF), Open Space Land Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) fund, Partners for Conservation (which funds Soil and Water Conservation Districts), and many other special funds.
IEC and the organizations we represent understand that Illinois is facing a serious budget crisis and the legislature must move decisively to solve this problem. However, a budget solution should be sustainable. Relying on one-time fund transfers is not sustainable and sets the state up for another year of deficit spending. By using fund sweeps, the state would be “robbing Peter to pay Paul” – funding some programs by devastating others.
Take action here to ask legislators to pass a budget the protects the Future Energy Jobs Act and leaves special funds alone!
