Two more Illinois coal-fired power plants are closing to the delight of Greenpeace and Sierra Club activists, but what does this mean for Chicagoans? Rahn Emanuel pressured Chicago’s Fisk and Crawford plants to close earlier than previously scheduled. These two power plants represent over 200 years of Chicago history and coal historically provides the city and the state with cheap electricity. Chicago politicians are using the EPA to bankrupt the coal industry to further the liberal agenda of “green energy” at the expense of the average consumer.
These closings are just a sign of what’s to come for other state and nationwide coal-burning power plants. Ameren corp. also has plants slated to close later this year in Meredosia and Hutsonville. The Illinois Power Agency claims that one fifth of Illinois’ electricity generation could exit the market as a result of the new emissions rules in the near future. Chris Thomas, policy director for consumer advocacy group Citizens Utility Board, has data showing that Chicago area residents will see their ComEd bills increasing 40% – 60% by 2014. Oh yeah, that report was before the two-year earlier than expected closing of the Fisk and Crawford plants.
Elected officials are playing politics with our pocketbooks and it needs to stop. The liberals are letting non-elected, appointed czars to pass regulations that are necessarily causing energy prices to skyrocket to forward their agenda. Chicagoans need to either stockpile candles or take a hard look at their recent voting history. I am doing both.
