CHICAGO – After more than three years of community organizing and leadership, advocates from the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition (ICJC) were thrilled to join Governor Pritzker, legislative champions, and other stakeholders today at the bill signing of comprehensive climate legislation (SB2408), the most equitable clean energy jobs bill of its kind in the nation.
ICJC members Delmar Gillus of Elevate and Dulce Ortiz of Clean Power Lake County spoke at the event and highlighted CEJA’s nation-leading strides on environmental justice and creating equitable, clean energy job opportunities.
ICJC also released the following statement:
“For more than three years, members of the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition have been organizing across the state around a simple but urgent rallying cry: CEJA can’t wait.
Our climate crisis is certainly not waiting, and environmental justice communities as well as Black and Brown workers who have been shut out of the clean energy economy have waited far too long.
We are proud to stand with Governor Pritzker, legislative champions, and other stakeholders on this monumental occasion. The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act is a bold, nation-leading law that will put Illinois on a path to a 100% clean energy future, protect public health from pollution, provide a just transition for communities historically dependent on dirty fossil fuels, enact tough utility accountability measures, and create jobs and wealth in Illinois’ Black and Brown communities.
The wait is over, but our work is not. We look forward to collaborating on the implementation of this comprehensive climate and equitable jobs plan to ensure that no one is left behind on Illinois’ path to a 100% clean energy future.”
Learn more about ICJC’s work and the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act here.
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info@ilcleanjobs.org