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In November, Chicago voters will vote on a referendum to determine whether the City should have the authority to buy electricity on behalf of its residents. The ballot will read: Shall the city of Chicago have the authority to arrange for the supply of electricity for its residential and small commercial retail customers who have not opted out of such program? In Illinois, communities are allowed to purchase electricity on behalf of their residents and small businesses. By “aggregating” its customers into one big group, a community can negotiate with suppliers and get better deals for electricity on behalf of its citizens. Part of getting a better deal is getting a choice of where the community’s power comes from. Over 200 communities across the state have already opted for community choice—and a number of them have chosen renewable energy to help meet their electricity needs. The vote in November isn’t on a specific energy plan. Instead, it’s a vote that would allow the City to purchase electricity for its residents. |
By voting yes and giving the city the authority, we’re asking the City to commit to developing in‐state renewable energy sources with the purchase of clean, renewable energy made in Illinois and a goal of 100% renewable energy to run our city. Use community energy choice to drive job creation and create programs to save energy across all of Chicago.
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Chicago Clean Power Coalition Backs Community Energy Choice, Calls on Mayor Emanuel to Use November Vote to Advance Clean, Renewable Energy
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CHICAGO – More than 100 Chicagoans representing the city’s Clean Power Coalition rallied at City Hall today to support a November vote on Community Energy Choice and to call on Mayor Rahm Emanuel to use energy choice as a driver for jobs and clean, renewable energy. “Chicago can be the first city in the nation to use community energy choice to invest in local renewable energy,” said Rafael Hurtado, an organizer with the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization. “This vote can place Chicago on the path to be America’s greenest city.” The Clean Power Coalition, which used its grassroots power to push for the closing of the city’s last two coal plants earlier this year, has shifted its attention to powering Chicago on clean, renewable energy like wind and solar. The rally was used to deliver almost 2,500 petition signatures asking Mayor Emanuel to commit to developing in-state renewable energy sources with the purchase of clean, renewable energy made in Illinois and establishing a goal of using renewable energy to run the city. “With a plan in place that includes the purchase of renewable energy produced locally, and an energy efficiency program for the whole city, community energy choice will drive job creation across Chicago,” said Tom Conway, Regional Program Manager, with the BlueGreen Alliance.
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Chicago has long had leadership that understands that the green economy is a key to prosperity, and Community Energy Choice is another step towards making Chicago America’s greenest city.“Smart policies not only lead to good jobs, they lead to a more sustainable, thriving economy. The city has the opportunity to use Community Energy Choice to make Chicago a center of clean renewable energy and a model for the nation,” said Lisa Albrecht, Renewable Energy Specialist with Solar Service.On November 6th, Chicagoans will vote on a referendum to determine whether the City should have the authority to buy electricity on behalf of its residents. Before signing any contract, the City of Chicago will hold public meetings to discuss the best options and solicit rates from different energy suppliers. No matter what, ComEd will still deliver our power and respond to outages, meaning our power will remain reliable and safe. Additionally, residents can opt out of the process.
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VICTORY!!!MWGEN to Retire Fisk and CrawfordIt’s true!! Midwest Generation, a subsidiary of Edison International, will be retiring its Fisk and Crawford coal plants, two of the oldest and dirtiest in the nation. According to agreements signed by Midwest Generation, the Clean Power Coalition, and the City of Chicago, the Fisk coal plant in Pilsen will shut down in 2012 and the Crawford coal plant in Little Village will shut down in 2014. Terms of the agreement also call for the creation of a community advisory council to address issues such as the toxicity and future use of the sites. The story broke in the Chicago Sun Times this morning after months of negotiations between Midwest Generation, the Chicago Clean Power Coalition and the City of Chicago. Today, clean power advocates can celebrate the end of the most recent 2 1/2-year long campaign that successfully brought about an end to pollution from Chicago’s two coal plants. Nearly 60 organizations and groups came together to work side by side with communities affected by coal pollution to make Chicago a coal-free city. The agreement is a direct result of the intense pressure placed on Midwest Generation and City Hall by the Chicago Clean Power Coalition and its supporters. Together, we stood up to corporate polluters and claimed our right to clean air and a healthy environment! |
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