SB1867 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB103 29890 AWJ 56301 b

103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB1867

Introduced 2/9/2023, by Sen. Chapin Rose

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act

Creates the If This Is Such A Good Idea, Let's Start With You Act. Provides that the following actions must be completed no later than June 30, 2024: (1) the City of Chicago must convert Millennium Park into a solar energy park by building solar energy facilities on all open space and by mounting solar energy facilities on structures, except that no solar energy facility is required on Cloud Gate; (2) the City of Chicago must mount one wind energy turbine on Cloud Gate (The Bean exhibit) in Millennium Park; and (3) the City of Chicago and the Chicago Park District must place at least one wind energy facility in each public park operated by the City or Park District. Also requires each forest preserve district in Cook County to place at least one wind energy facility in each forest preserve operated by the forest preserve district. Requires reports to the General Assembly on the progress of complying with the requirements and the benefits that the wind and solar energy requirements have conferred upon the City of Chicago and Cook County. Limits concurrent exercise of home rule powers. Defines terms. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning Cook County solar and wind energy.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the If This Is Such A Good Idea, Let's Start With You Act.

Section 5. Definitions. As used in this Act:

"Solar energy facility" means a commercial solar energy system as defined in Section 10-720 of the Property Tax Code.

"Wind energy facility" means a wind energy conversion facility of equal or greater than 500 kilowatts in total nameplate generating capacity.

Section 10. City of Chicago wind and solar energy requirements. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the following actions must be completed no later than June 30, 2024:

(1) The City of Chicago must convert Millennium Park into a solar energy park by building solar energy facilities on all open space and by mounting solar energy facilities on structures, except that no solar energy facility is required on Cloud Gate.

(2) The City of Chicago must mount one wind energy turbine on Cloud Gate (The Bean exhibit) in Millennium Park.

(3) The City of Chicago and the Chicago Park District must place multiple wind energy facilities in each public park operated by the City or Park District.

Section 15. Wind and solar energy requirements for Cook County forest preserves. Notwithstanding any other provision of law and no later than June 30, 2024, a forest preserve district established under the Cook County Forest Preserve District Act must place multiple wind energy facilities in each forest preserve operated by the forest preserve district.

Section 20. Reports. No less than once every 3 months following the effective date of this Act, the City of Chicago, the Chicago Park District, and each forest preserve district established under the Cook County Forest Preserve District Act must submit a report to the General Assembly detailing the progress made toward complying with the requirements of this Act and, if the requirements have been fully complied with, one additional report that outlines the benefits that the wind and solar energy requirements of this Act have conferred upon the City of Chicago and Cook County.

Section 25. Home rule. A home rule unit may not regulate or establish commercial solar energy facilities and commercial wind energy facilities in a manner inconsistent with this Act. This Act is a limitation under subsection (i) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution on the concurrent exercise by home rule units of powers and functions exercised by the State.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.