Senate hearing scheduled! Thurs. March 9, 10 a.m.  Witness slips needed on SB0076 – attempt to repeal Illinois’ nuclear construction moratorium AND      build more Illinois nuclear plants

The Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee has scheduled a hearing dealing with SB0076. Witness slips are needed to oppose the repeal of the Illinois nuclear construction moratorium AND proposals to build more nuclear plants – “small modular nuclear reactors,” SMNRs  —  in Illinois.  We need to act fast and aggressively.  Filing as an “opponent”  is recommended by the Illinois Environmental Council and others.

Sen. Sue Rezin (R. 38, Morris) has introduced SB0076, an attempt to repeal the Illinois nuclear power plant construction moratorium.  Unlike the House repeal bill, Sen. Rezin additionally and openly calls for support for and construction of SMNRs in Illinois in the original bill.

This moratorium was enacted to insure 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.  It has worked!   Now, members of the Legislature want to “fix what ain’t broken.”

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.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

The Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee is holding a hearing Thurs. March 9, 10 a.m., Central time.  Here is the link to watch the hearing.

Witness slips in opposition are needed.  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 filing as an individual.

If you would like to submit testimony (oral or written), you must follow the Senate Guidelines for doing so, using this link (see pages 2 and 3 for written testimony):

https://www.ilga.gov/senate/Remote%20Legislative%20Hearing%20Process.pdf

Last week we lost the witness slip battle in the House Committee vote by a 3:1 margin.  Let’s do better in the Senate this Thursday.

Thanks in advance for all you do!

Be well, do great things.

–Dave Kraft, Director–