East Central Reporter

During a committee hearing on Tuesday evening, State Representative Brad Halbrook commented on the Illinois Commerce Commission's emphasis on renewable energy investments. Halbrook expressed concerns about the impact of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) on energy costs and reliability.

Halbrook stated, "Republicans talked about what would happen if CEJA was enacted — that energy costs would go up, we would have less reliable sources of energy, it would drive jobs out of the state and it would provide that less clean energy would be imported into the state." He further noted, "All those things have happened."

The discussion took place in the Energy and Environment House Committee as lawmakers reviewed policies related to renewable energy. Halbrook's remarks highlight ongoing debates over the economic and environmental implications of transitioning to renewable sources.