SJ0101 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SJ0101 LRB095 21510 MJR 51198 r

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Nuclear power accounts for roughly 19% of the total net electricity generated in the United States; and

WHEREAS, The genesis of all of the nuclear industries in the world was the first controlled nuclear chain reaction, which took place in Illinois on December 2, 1942 at the University of Chicago; and

WHEREAS, Illinois is home to more commercial nuclear plants than any other state in the nation and is ranked first among the 31 states with nuclear capacity, as of January 2005; and

WHEREAS, Of all of the states in the nation, the electric industry in Illinois ranked sixth in highest carbon dioxide emissions, eleventh-highest in sulfur dioxide emissions, and eighth-highest in nitrogen oxide emissions in 2004; and

WHEREAS, Nuclear energy is clean compared to electricity generated by burning fossil fuels, and nuclear power plants produce no air pollution; and only a small amount of emissions result from processing uranium used in nuclear reactors; and

WHEREAS, Expansions in the nuclear power market in Illinois have the potential to meet increasing demand for electricity without adverse affects on air quality, global warming, and public health; however, before the industry can grow, questions of long-term liabilities such as disposal of waste and safe and affordable decommissioning must first be answered; and

WHEREAS, Given that Illinois derives almost one-half of its power generation from nuclear power plants, and that a number of issues are in public discourse concerning the current plants, waste storage, and the future of nuclear generation in a carbon-constrained world, the General Assembly of the State of Illinois believes it is necessary to convene a task force to study nuclear power issues; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that there is created the Nuclear Power Issues Task Force consisting of 9 members appointed as follows: one Senator chosen by the Senate President, who shall be a co-chairperson, one Representative chosen by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, who shall be a co-chairperson, one Senator chosen by the Senate Minority Leader, one Representative chosen by the House Minority Leader, one member chosen by the Attorney General, one member from the business community chosen by the co-chairperson appointed by the Senate President, one member from the environmental community chosen by the co-chairperson appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Director of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, or his or her designee, and the Director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, or his or her designee; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, and the Office of the Attorney General shall cooperate to provide technical and administrative support for the Task Force, subject to available appropriations for that purpose; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall compile information on the following issues, as well as others it deems necessary:

(1) the decommissioning of existing or retired plants, including waste storage or disposal issues;

(2) waste storage and movement within the State, including any economic potential;

(3) the re-processing of spent nuclear fuel; and

(4) the existing moratorium on new nuclear power generation in the State, looking at the structure and process for new generation, and how nuclear generation can play a role in the future power needs of the State, including looking also at greenhouse gas emissions and potential regulations to constrain carbon output; and be it further

RESOLVED, That in order to gather all necessary information, the Task Force shall solicit expert testimony and public opinion through a series of public hearings; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall prepare a report and file it with the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House by January 1, 2009 detailing the issues raised and any policy recommendations it deems necessary, if any, as well as outlining the next steps for further study of the issues.