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SENATE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The Illinois General Assembly has made the 
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development of affordable and secure energy from Illinois coal 
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a high priority, as evidenced by the Illinois Resource 
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Development and Energy Security Act and numerous other 
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legislative actions; and

 
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    WHEREAS, New coal-fueled electric power plants and other 
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power plants can serve as a buffer for Illinois consumers 
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against the increasingly  high cost of natural gas and imported 
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petroleum; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Delays in constructing new plants elevate the 
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future cost of electric power, which adversely affects 
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purchasers, such as not-for-profit electric cooperatives and 
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their consumers; and

 
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    WHEREAS, New technologies, including circulating fluidized 
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bed boiler systems, can significantly control harmful 
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emissions from power plants built under current State and 
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federal air quality regulations; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Developers have made substantial investments of 
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private funds to obtain land, water resources, and the 
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necessary permits to construct new coal-fired energy products; 
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and

 
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    WHEREAS, It is understandable that citizens residing in the 
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area surrounding a coal-fueled electric power plant may have 
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reasonable concerns over its construction that would best be 
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addressed in a thorough and expeditious manner pursuant to the 
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applicable law; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Case No. 05-cv-0495 was filed on May 20, 2005, in 
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the United States District Court for the Southern District of 
 


 






SR0511
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Illinois, to challenge the validity of an air quality 
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preconstruction permit that was issued in Franklin County by 
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the United States Environmental Protection Agency; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The viability of this proposed facility may be 
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affected if the proceedings in the United States District Court 
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are unduly prolonged; therefore, be it
 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL 
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ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the Illinois Senate 
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respectfully urges the honorable United States District Court 
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for the Southern District of Illinois to expedite a hearing on 
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the merits of the complaint in the matter of Case No. 
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05-cv-0495; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to the Honorable G. Patrick Murphy, Chief Judge of 
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the United States District Court for the Southern District of 
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Illinois.