Bill Introduced Mandating Chicago’s Millennium Park To Become Solar Farm –

ILLINOIS (ECWd) –

Illinois State Senator Chapin Rose has introduced Senate Bill 1867, which would mandate that no later than June 30, 2024, Chicago must convert Millennium Park into a Solar Farm and place one Wind Energy Turbine on Cloud Gate (the Bean). Restricts Home Rule powers, among other things.

It also directs the Cook County Forest Preserve to install Wind Farms at each forest preserve.

Synopsis As Introduced:
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.

We urge Senator Rose to amend this Bill, as we suggest this does not go far enough at ensuring renewable energy is locally available for Cook County and the Greater Chicago area, for example:

• Lakefront Trail has the potential for harvesting wind power and solar power all along the 18.5-mile waterfront with Lake Michigan. Clean Power.
• An Offshore turbine farm should also be placed in Lake Michigan with charging stations for electric boating, which is sure to come. Imagine being able to recharge your electric jet ski, fishing and party boats without having to leave the water. Simply amazing.
• Navy Pier could also produce abundant, clean, green, renewable energy by turning it into a state-of-the-art dual-purpose wind and solar farm that could include full-pier-length charging stations for electric cars and e-bikes.

We believe Cook County and Chicago will NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) their way out of this without any attempt at curbing the alleged global warming that this Senate Bill attempts to address.  Instead, they will rely on the Governor’s lies which resulted in County governments losing all input on the site placements of wind farms as exposed in this article.