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Pritzker: climate action can create jobs; criticizes federal messaging on clean energy
Summary
Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Illinois' Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CJA) shows climate policy can create jobs and protect the environment, and he criticized federal messaging that frames clean energy as harmful to growth.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker described how Illinois negotiated the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CJA) with unions, environmentalists and business to create a bill that "worked for, really across the board" and said that approach enabled him to present Illinois as a model at COP26.
Pritzker criticized messaging from the current federal administration on clean energy, saying it presents renewables as an obstacle to growth and affordability. "We cannot allow the current administration in Washington to... imbue in people this idea that clean energy is an anathema to growth and an anathema to, bringing down electricity prices," he said, calling such framing "just a lie." He urged continued state-level leadership and public engagement to keep moving toward cleaner energy while protecting affordability.
Pritzker also reiterated that Illinois has been a manufacturing state that can lead on clean energy and said he was proud of the bipartisan coalition that produced the CJA.
