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1
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, Nuclear power accounts for roughly 19% of the
3 total net electricity generated in the United States; and
 
4     WHEREAS, The genesis of all of the nuclear industries in
5 the world was the first controlled nuclear chain reaction,
6 which took place in Illinois on December 2, 1942 at the
7 University of Chicago; and
 
8     WHEREAS, Illinois is home to more commercial nuclear plants
9 than any other state in the nation and is ranked first among
10 the 31 states with nuclear capacity, as of January 2005; and
 
11     WHEREAS, Of all of the states in the nation, the electric
12 industry in Illinois ranked sixth in highest carbon dioxide
13 emissions, eleventh-highest in sulfur dioxide emissions, and
14 eighth-highest in nitrogen oxide emissions in 2004; and
 
15     WHEREAS, Nuclear energy is clean compared to electricity
16 generated by burning fossil fuels, and nuclear power plants
17 produce no air pollution; and only a small amount of emissions
18 result from processing uranium used in nuclear reactors; and
 
19     WHEREAS, Expansions in the nuclear power market in Illinois
20 have the potential to meet increasing demand for electricity

 

 

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1 without adverse affects on air quality, global warming, and
2 public health; however, before the industry can grow, questions
3 of long-term liabilities such as disposal of waste and safe and
4 affordable decommissioning must first be answered; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Given that Illinois derives almost one-half of its
6 power generation from nuclear power plants, and that a number
7 of issues are in public discourse concerning the current
8 plants, waste storage, and the future of nuclear generation in
9 a carbon-constrained world, the General Assembly of the State
10 of Illinois believes it is necessary to convene a task force to
11 study nuclear power issues; therefore, be it
 
12     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL
13 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
14 CONCURRING HEREIN, that there is created the Nuclear Power
15 Issues Task Force consisting of 9 members appointed as follows:
16 one Senator chosen by the Senate President, who shall be a
17 co-chairperson, one Representative chosen by the Speaker of the
18 House of Representatives, who shall be a co-chairperson, one
19 Senator chosen by the Senate Minority Leader, one
20 Representative chosen by the House Minority Leader, one member
21 chosen by the Attorney General, one member from the business
22 community chosen by the co-chairperson appointed by the Senate
23 President, one member from the environmental community chosen
24 by the co-chairperson appointed by the Speaker of the House of

 

 

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1 Representatives, the Director of the Illinois Environmental
2 Protection Agency, or his or her designee, and the Director of
3 the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, or his or her
4 designee; and be it further
 
5     RESOLVED, That the Illinois Emergency Management Agency,
6 the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, and the Office of
7 the Attorney General shall cooperate to provide technical and
8 administrative support for the Task Force, subject to available
9 appropriations for that purpose; and be it further
 
10     RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall compile information on
11 the following issues, as well as others it deems necessary:
12         (1) the decommissioning of existing or retired plants,
13     including waste storage or disposal issues;
14         (2) waste storage and movement within the State,
15     including any economic potential;
16         (3) the re-processing of spent nuclear fuel; and
17         (4) the existing moratorium on new nuclear power
18     generation in the State, looking at the structure and
19     process for new generation, and how nuclear generation can
20     play a role in the future power needs of the State,
21     including looking also at greenhouse gas emissions and
22     potential regulations to constrain carbon output; and be it
23     further
 

 

 

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1     RESOLVED, That in order to gather all necessary
2 information, the Task Force shall solicit expert testimony and
3 public opinion through a series of public hearings; and be it
4 further
 
5     RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall prepare a report and
6 file it with the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the
7 House by January 1, 2009 detailing the issues raised and any
8 policy recommendations it deems necessary, if any, as well as
9 outlining the next steps for further study of the issues.