DeKalb Times

On March 24 the Illinois House passed HB2132, which was sponsored by state Rep. Jeff Keicher (R-DeKalb), to create a pilot program to develop offshore wind turbines on the Illinois coast of Lake Michigan. 

“During the January lame-duck session, I called for this idea to promote offshore wind turbine development and called for this type of legislation to move forward,” Keicher wrote on his website. “This is an innovative solution we’ve seen be successful in other countries for wind energy development that doesn’t lead to long-term degradation of the landscape.

The bill relies on federal funds for offshore wind energy developments and donations, and does not use state tax dollars.

Keicher recently spoke in the General Assembly to share the progress of the bill, saying that he called the bill to be called in the last General Assembly during the lame duck session but it was blocked by environmentalists. 

“Instead they rammed HB 4412 through and it was an honor to speak in support of off shore wind on Friday,” Keicher wrote in a Facebook post on March 27.

Keicher said to the General Assembly: “I want to remind the chamber that those of us who were here during the 102nd that I brought up this very idea and called for this bill to be called (in the) last General Assembly, because not only is it innovative and creative, it doesn't put it in anybody's backyard. We have seen time and again in Norway, the UK, Ireland, and on the East Coast of the United States where offshore wind energy has not only been prolific and productive, it has remained in a place that can be easily removed without causing permanent damage to our landscape.”

Keicher said that HB4412 was being forced in the rural areas of the state, calling it unfair.

“We are jamming sighting down everybody's throat in rural Illinois, which is unfair when we should be doing -- what this bill is seeking to do -- exploring the opportunities where this has the least impact on our state and our people that reside not only in cities but in the country,” Keicher said.

Keicher also said the bill would bring jobs to the Black and Brown communities in the South and West sides of Chicago.

“So I applaud you,” Keicher said. “I'm excited for where this bill will go and I thank you for being a voice in the wilderness.”

According to the Illinois General Assembly website, HB2132 was filed by Rep. Marcus C. Evans, Jr. (D-Chicago) on Feb. 3. It creates the Illinois Rust Belt to Green Belt Pilot Program Act, along with a special fund in the state treasury.

The General Assembly page stated that the fund would be used “by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to encourage and facilitate the employment of construction workforces located in underrepresented populations.”

It added that it would require applicants for a new utility scale offshore wind project to file with the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity an “equity and inclusion plan.” 

The bill would also direct the Illinois Power Agency to procure, “in addition to the amount of renewable energy credits to be procured from wind projects, the Illinois Power Agency shall procure at least 700,000 renewable energy credits, delivered annually for at least 20 years, from one new utility-scale offshore wind project.”