Dan Gearino | Inside Climate News
A defeat in federal court likely would have been used to challenge state policies around the country that promote renewable energy, environmental law experts say.
…
The Illinois and New York Laws
In the Illinois case, a three-judge panel from the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago rejected a challenge to the state’s Future Energy Jobs Act, passed in 2016 amid financial turmoil at the state’s two nuclear plants owned by Exelon. Farmer said the court was emphatic in its rejection.
Under the law, customers of the state’s utilities are required to pay a monthly charge that helps support the two nuclear plants. The charge (the equivalent of up to $16.50 per megawatt-hour last year) is based on a calculation of the social cost of emissions. Supporters of the law, which also includes provisions to pay for clean energy programs, say it will lead to a net savings for consumers because of financial benefits from clean-energy programs and the environmental benefits.
info@ilcleanjobs.org