The House Public Utilities Committee has re-scheduled its hearing dealing with HB1079. NEW witness slips are required and will be needed, even if you filed one last week. Last week, opponents outnumbered proponents 8 to 1.  This week, the proponents are on the march.  We need to act fast and aggressively.  Filing as an “opponent”  is recommended by the Illinois Environmental Council and others.

Rep. Mark Walker (D. 53rd, Arlington Heights) has once again introduced HB1079, an attempt to repeal the Illinois nuclear power plant construction moratorium.

This moratorium was enacted and has insured that Illinois will not become the de facto radioactive waste dump for the nation, since Illinois nukes have generated the most high-level radioactive waste.

Make no mistake – this is the first step necessary for the nuclear industry to build their proposed “small modular nuclear reactors” (SMNRs), presumably at the sites of retiring coal plants and mines.  More nuclear reactors of any kind will mean – more radioactive waste, more bailouts, more rate hikes, continued accident threat, and LESS renewable energy and efficiency.

A similar bill – SB0076 , the UTILITY-MODULAR NUCLEAR REACT, by Sen. Sue Rezin (R. 38th ) — has been introduced in the Senate.  This bill explicitly calls for SMNRs, as well as the moratorium repeal.  We will be contacting you in the future when this bill comes up in committees.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

The House Public Utilities Committee is holding a hearing Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2 p.m. Central time.  Here is the link to watch the hearinghttps://ilga.gov/houseaudvid.asp

NEW witness slips are needed, even if you filed one previously.  If you would like to file a witness slip against this proposal, go to this link.  File as an “opponent”. In the “REPRESENTATION” section, file organization names, or “self” if an individual.

If you would like to submit testimony (oral or written), you must follow the House Guidelines for doing so, using this link: https://www.ilga.gov/House/Remote_Committee_Hearing_Process_Feb2023.pdf

We all know the nuclear industry never gives up.  Neither will we.  The best time to stop them and their new plans for a Brave New Nuclear World is – before they can get started.  That’s what’s at stake in this hearing.

Thanks in advance for all you do!

Be well, do great things.  Tuesday, for example.

–Dave Kraft, Director–