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The governor, the Illinois congressional delegation, and state
and local partners across Illinois have been working for more than
four years to bring FutureGen to Illinois. The FutureGen Industrial
Alliance, which is developing the facility for the U.S. Department
of Energy, is expected to announce its final selection from the four
remaining sites this fall.
State Sens. Gary Forby, D-Benton, and Dale Righter, R-Mattoon,
and state Reps. Kurt Granberg, D-Centralia, and Chapin Rose,
R-Charleston, sponsored Senate Bill 1704.
"We've been making the investments that have made Illinois a
national leader in clean-coal technology, which are opening up new
markets for our coal, creating new jobs and making us more
energy-independent, and that is what FutureGen is all about and why
it belongs here," Blagojevich said. "This is the right decision for
Illinois and our country because the science is on our side to make
this project a tremendous success. After more than four years of
planning and strong bipartisan support, this is the final piece of
the puzzle as we are approaching FutureGen's finish line."
A recent study by Southern Illinois University Carbondale showed
that FutureGen would have a significant statewide and local economic
impact. The study found that it would have a much larger economic
impact than the 1,300 construction jobs and 150 permanent jobs the
U.S. Department of Energy estimates would be created. During the
four-year construction period, there would also be more than $1
billion in economic impact statewide, and 1,225 indirect and induced
spinoff jobs will be created as a result of the ripple effect
generated by FutureGen. Once FutureGen is operational, the study
shows it will generate $135 million annually in total statewide
economic output, with an $85 million annual increase in Coles and
Douglas counties if either Mattoon or Tuscola is selected. It will
also create an additional 360 indirect and induced full-time jobs
statewide, according to the report.
FutureGen will be designed to be the cleanest fossil fuel-fired
power plant in the world. The facility will convert coal into
hydrogen and electricity, while capturing and storing the carbon
dioxide deep underground. This effort will lay the groundwork for
developing similar power plants around the country and the world,
providing a framework for new energy projects that capture, rather
than release greenhouse gases. The facility will produce 275
megawatts of electric power, which is enough electricity to power
150,000 homes, as well as hydrogen for fuel cell technology that
will serve as the next-generation "battery" to operate everything
from a computer to a car.
Senate Bill 1704 provides liability protection and establishes
monitoring responsibility, which are important advances in Illinois'
efforts to bring FutureGen to Illinois. The legislation would
protect the FutureGen Alliance from facing liability for
unanticipated release of carbon dioxide, which is highly unlikely.
Texas, which has the other two remaining sites, Odessa and near
Jewett, has already passed a version of indemnification legislation.
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 "This proposal is a fine example of all levels of government
working together to make great things happen for our state," said
Forby, the bill's chief sponsor in the Senate. "Moving towards more
clean-coal technology is only part of what this legislation can
bring to Illinois. If Illinois lands the project, our coal industry
is going to be revived, thousands of jobs will be created as a
result, and communities in southern Illinois are going to benefit."
"FutureGen is an effort to revolutionize power production," said
Righter, another Senate sponsor. "It would protect our environment,
make us less dependent on foreign oil and provide an important
economic boost. We are going to continue doing everything we can to
bring it to central Illinois, where it belongs."
"We must invest in the types of innovative, environmentally
friendly technologies that rely on our homegrown resources," said
Granberg, sponsor in the House. "FutureGen will prove that Illinois
coal must continue playing a vital role in our energy portfolio.
This will make our country safer and more secure, in addition to
creating good jobs and significant investment. We will continue to
make our persuasive case about why this must happen in Illinois,
and, just as importantly, it will focus national and global
attention on central and southern Illinois."
"This bill will help bring the FutureGen Alliance and 1,300
construction jobs to my area and hundreds of permanent jobs once it
is up and running," said Rose, another House sponsor. "The bill was
crafted in a bipartisan, cooperative manner, and I look forward to
continuing to work cooperatively with the governor, local officials
and our congressional delegation to bring FutureGen to Illinois."
The governor previously committed a $17 million direct grant that
tops off what is believed to be the nation's most aggressive
investment package to bring FutureGen to Illinois. Local sponsors
are providing the alliance with additional assistance that ranges
from property tax abatements to site donations and land options for
the facility and potential FutureGen-related businesses. Additional
state support includes a sales tax exemption on building materials
and selected equipment through local enterprise zones or the High
Impact Business Program. And, the Illinois Finance Authority will
pursue the issuance of $50 million of below-market-rate loans to the
alliance.
In order for Illinois to remain a national leader in developing
clean-coal technology, the governor also called on the House of
Representatives to pass
House Bill 3388, which would help build the $1.4 billion
Taylorville Energy Center. This cutting-edge project would use 1.8
million tons of Illinois coal annually and be converted through
clean-coal technology to a synthetic gas that can be sold or burned
to generate electric power. This would also create an estimated
1,900 construction and permanent jobs. The governor has already
invested $2.5 million in the project. House Bill 3388 passed out of
the Senate on Friday.
[Text from file received from
the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information]
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