(20 ILCS 896/20)

Sec. 20. Offshore Wind Energy Economic Development Policy Task Force.

(a) The Governor shall convene an Offshore Wind Energy Economic Development Policy Task Force, to be chaired by the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, or his or her designee, to analyze and evaluate policy and economic options to facilitate the development of offshore wind energy, and to propose an appropriate Illinois mechanism for purchasing and selling power from possible offshore wind energy projects. The Task Force shall examine mechanisms used in other states and jurisdictions, including, without limitation, feed-in tariffs, renewable energy certificates, renewable energy certificate carve-outs, power purchase agreements, and pilot projects. The Task Force shall report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly within 12 months of convening.

(b) The Director of the Illinois Power Agency (or his or her designee), the Executive Director of the Illinois Commerce Commission (or his or her designee), the Director of Natural Resources (or his or her designee), and the Attorney General (or his or her designee) shall serve as ex officio members of the Task Force.

(c) The Governor shall appoint, within 90 days of August 9, 2019 (the effective date of Public Act 101-283), the following public members to serve on the Task Force:

(1) one individual from an institution of higher education in Illinois representing the discipline of economics with experience in the study of renewable energy;

(2) one individual representing an energy industry with experience in renewable energy markets;

(3) one individual representing a Statewide consumer or electric ratepayer organization;

(4) one individual representing the offshore wind energy industry;

(5) one individual representing the wind energy supply chain industry;

(6) one individual representing an Illinois electrical cooperative, municipal electrical utility, or association of such cooperatives or utilities;

(7) one individual representing an Illinois industrial union involved in the construction, maintenance, or transportation of electrical generation, distribution, or transmission equipment or components;

(8) one individual representing an Illinois commercial or industrial electrical consumer;

(9) one individual representing an Illinois public education electrical consumer;

(10) one individual representing an independent transmission company;

(11) one individual from the Illinois legal community with experience in contracts, utility law, municipal law, and constitutional law;

(12) one individual representing a Great Lakes regional organization with experience assessing or studying wind energy;

(13) one individual representing a Statewide environmental organization;

(14) one resident of the State representing an organization advocating for persons of low or limited incomes;

(15) one individual representing Argonne National Laboratory; and

(16) one individual representing a local community that has aggregated the purchase of electricity.

(d) The Governor may appoint additional public members to the Task Force.

(e) The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Senate President, and Minority Leader of the Senate shall each appoint one member of the General Assembly to serve on the Task Force.

(f) Members of the Task Force shall serve without compensation.

(Source: P.A. 101-283, eff. 8-9-19; 102-558, eff. 8-20-21.)