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1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The State of Illinois is uniquely positioned to
3be a national hub for the clean technology economy, with a
4virtuous innovation life cycle that furthers equity, climate
5justice, and economic development; and
 
6    WHEREAS, The State of Illinois passed the Clean Energy
7Jobs Act and the Reimagining Electric Vehicles Act, leading
8the region in decarbonization and clean energy in the
9manufacturing revolution; and
 
10    WHEREAS, The American Rescue Plan included a $1 billion
11Build Back Better Regional Challenge administered by the U.S.
12Economic Development Administration (EDA) and the U.S.
13Department of Commerce to boost economic recovery from the
14pandemic and rebuild American communities, including those
15grappling with decades of disinvestment; and
 
16    WHEREAS, The BBB Regional Challenge will provide
17transformational investments to develop and strengthen
18regional industry clusters across the country, all while
19embracing equitable economic growth, creating good-paying
20jobs, and enhancing U.S. global competitiveness; and
 
21    WHEREAS, The Economic Development Administration received

 

 

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1529 applications from across the United States, including 10
2from Illinois; and
 
3    WHEREAS, On December 19, 2021, the Economic Development
4Administration announced their 60 finalists, which includes
5one remaining application from Illinois; and
 
6    WHEREAS, The remaining Illinois application is the Clean
7Tech Economy Coalition led by mHUB and supported by a
819-member coalition from industry, universities, city and
9county government, national laboratories, environmental
10organizations, and community-based organizations and is
11seeking between $75-$99 million in federal funding; and
 
12    WHEREAS, The Clean Tech Economy Coalition is focused on
13six core principles spread across the entire State, including
14(1) an Entrepreneurship Clean Tech Innovation Center, (2)
15driving equitable economic growth through clean energy
16technology innovations, commercialization, and small business
17development, (3) decarbonizing manufacturing and expanding the
18supply chain through retooling, coordination, and market
19incentives to support the clean tech industry, (4)
20understanding future workforce trends and coordinating state,
21county, and city resources toward building capacity for
22emerging skill requirements, (5) grid modernization and energy
23storage with focus on downstate coal-impacted communities and

 

 

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1urban settings, (6) equitable investment electric charging and
2infrastructure deployment throughout southern Cook County and
3Chicago; and
 
4    WHEREAS, More than 150 organizations and individuals
5expressed strong support for the Clean Tech Economy Coalition
6during the first round, including the University of Illinois,
7Northwestern University, Southern Illinois University, the
8Illinois Science & Technology Coalition, the Illinois
9Manufacturers' Association, the Illinois Manufacturing
10Excellence Center, World Business Chicago, Fermilab, the
11Chicago Urban League, West Side Forward, the Illinois
12Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity, the City of
13Chicago, Cook County, Choose DuPage, Lake County Partners, and
14numerous federal, State, and local officials; Argonne National
15Laboratory will be supporting these six projects as a
16technical assistance lead; and
 
17    WHEREAS, The Clean Tech Economy Coalition must submit its
18final application for the BBB Regional Challenge by March 15,
192022, which must demonstrate a financial commitment from
20Illinois partners for the transformative project; and
 
21    WHEREAS, The City of Chicago, Cook County government, and
22private sector have already provided financial commitments to
23the Clean Tech Economy Coalition; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, The State of Illinois is an important stakeholder
2and supporter of this Clean Tech Economy Coalition project and
3is committed to helping secure funding over the next four
4years; therefore, be it
 
5    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
6HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
7SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we express our support for the
8Clean Tech Economy Coalition's application to the BBB Regional
9Challenge and our intent to support this important project
10with funding in the State budget; and be it further
 
11    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
12delivered to mHUB and the Clean Tech Economy Coalition for
13inclusion in the BBB Regional Challenge as a show of our
14commitment to the Economic Development Administration and U.S.
15Department of Commerce.