Senate Bill 9 Would Undermine Electric Utility Oversight; Hike Electric Rates for Consumers and Businesses Across Illinois

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today vetoed Senate Bill 9, which would have allowed Illinois' large electric utilities to undermine the state's oversight and enact an estimated $70 million rate hike. The governor, who 30 years ago spearheaded creation of the Citizens' Utility Board (CUB) - Illinois' largest consumer advocacy group - noted that the bill would circumvent more than a century of state oversight of electric utilities.

"I cannot support legislation that puts the profits of big electric utilities ahead of the families and businesses of Illinois," Governor Quinn said. "A strong economy that creates jobs requires stable energy costs, but this bill sends Illinois in the wrong direction. We cannot allow big utilities to force automatic rate hikes on the people of Illinois by going around oversight authorities each and every time they do not get the decision they want."

Senate Bill 9 was pushed by the utilities in response to Illinois Commerce Commission rulings last year. The commission denied proposed rate hikes that weren't needed for the utilities to make promised investments, and would cost Illinois' families and businesses too much. Senate Bill 9 circumvents the commission's well-established oversight authority and puts several of those rate hikes into Illinois law.

If the bill were to become law, the bill would continue a troubling, unprecedented pattern of departing from more than a century of regulatory oversight of utility company monopolies in Illinois.

The Illinois Commerce Commission's mission is "to pursue an appropriate balance between the interest of consumers and existing and emerging service providers to ensure the provision of adequate, efficient, reliable, safe and least-cost public utility services."

The rate hike proposed in this bill would be in addition to a $311 million rate hike Commonwealth Edison proposed to the Illinois Commerce Commission just last week. Combined with another rate hike filed with the federal government, the two amount to about $6 per month for the average utility customer.

A copy of the governor's veto message is attached.

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Partnership to Improve Health of Lake Pátzcuaro and Lake Michigan, Boost Tourism and Protect Habitat

MEXICO CITY - Governor Pat Quinn today joined Honorable Fausto Vallejo Figueroa - the Governor of Michoacán, Mexico - to sign a Sister Lake agreement between Lake Pátzcuaro and Lake Michigan. This unique connection is part of Governor Quinn's agenda to drive Illinois' economy forward and make Illinois one of the most eco-friendly states in the country. The pact pledges cooperation and sharing of best practices to enhance recreational use, boost tourism, improve commercial use and protect natural habitats.

"Today we are sealing the official friendship between our two states and our two lakes, and vowing to cooperate in solving the challenges faced by both waterways," Governor Quinn said. "The Illinois Sister Rivers/Sister Lakes project currently has partners - 'hermanas' - in Brazil, China, Ireland, Israel, Poland and South Korea. We are proud to have a new 'hermana' today in Mexico."

The Memorandum of Understanding signing ceremony was witnessed by officials from Mexico and the United States, including Pátzcuaro Mayor Salma Karrum, Erongarícuaro Mayor Everardo Alberto Cortés and State Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez (D-Cicero).

In the Memorandum of Understanding, the governors agreed to cooperate in the following areas of mutual interest: exotic and invasive species, fishing population research, harmful algal blooms, water quality and pollution.

Lake Pátzcuaro is 200 miles west of Mexico City in the state of Michoacán. The Sister Lake agreement is part of the Sister Rivers/Sister Lakes Initiative created by Governor Quinn to enable public officials in diverse nations to share creative solutions to common waterway problems, such as run-off, flooding and invasive species. Governor Quinn has crafted Lake Michigan and Illinois River partnerships with Brazil's Capibaribe River, China's Huangpu River, Ireland's River Lee, Israel's Lake Kinneret, Poland's Vistula River and South Korea's Han River.

Governor Quinn noted that for many Illinoisans of Mexican heritage, Michoacán was the home of their parents or grandparents and holds a special place in their hearts. One of the world's highest lakes, Lake Pátzcuaro is known as the "door to heaven." Michoacán is also the starting point for the migrating Monarch butterflies who travel from central Mexico all the way to Illinois, a symbol of the long-standing relationship between Illinois and Michoacán. The Monarch butterfly is the official state insect of Illinois.

Lake Michigan and Lake Pátzcuaro shaped fond memories for generations of families in Illinois and Michoacán. Today, the lakes face similar challenges. To combat the problem of silt build up, Governor Quinn shared details of an innovative project called "Mud-to-Parks," in which sediment was dredged from the bottom of the waterway, shipped to an abandoned steel mill site and spread out. Within months, grasses and animals began populating the area.

The Sister Lake signing occurred on the third day of Governor Quinn's trade mission to Mexico aimed at promoting tourism, water technology, agribusiness and manufacturing. Governor Quinn said the partnership will help boost tourism and export opportunities between Illinois and Michoacán. Earlier today, the governor laid wreaths at the monuments honoring Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr., in a Mexico City park. The governor also met with the Governor of the State of Mexico, Mayor of Mexico City and U.S. Ambassador to Mexico.

Federal Railroad Administration Names Illinois to Lead National Procurement of 35 Next-Generation Locomotives

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn announced today that the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has named Illinois to lead the multi-state procurement of next-generation locomotives for high-speed rail. With the consent of the partnering states, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) will lead the effort to procure at least 35 next-generation diesel locomotives for high-speed passenger trains on behalf of five states - Illinois, California, Michigan, Missouri and Washington. Today's announcement is part of the governor's commitment to bring Illinois' and our nation's transportation systems into the 21st century.

"This decision by the federal government is a testament to Illinois' role as a national leader in high-speed rail," Governor Quinn said. "This important multi-state procurement is a key to success for high-speed rail throughout the nation, and I have directed my administration to move forward quickly."

The FRA has allocated $808 million to build the next generation of passenger rail equipment, including 35 new locomotives and 130 bi-level rail cars. As lead agency, IDOT will manage and oversee the procurement, involve the other states in planning and implementing the procurement process, develop a detailed project plan, and coordinate the review of the procurement among the involved states and FRA.

"Following significant analysis and consideration, FRA recommends that IDOT be the lead agency for the multi-state locomotive procurement," the FRA stated in their decision letter. "We are confident that your team - jointly with the significant contributions from California, Michigan, Missouri and Washington - will manage the procurement process and stakeholder involvement that will lead to a successful contract award."

"We are thrilled in Illinois to have the confidence of the FRA and Governor Quinn as we move forward with this crucial procurement effort," Illinois Secretary of Transportation Ann L. Schneider said. "Our goal is to offer 110-mile-per-hour service on at least 75 percent of the Chicago-St. Louis corridor - the segment from Dwight to Alton - by the end of 2015, and these locomotives are the key to achieving that goal. It takes time to build these complex and powerful engines, however, and we are moving quickly to get this procurement under way as soon as possible."

Last year, IDOT was part of a multi-state procurement of the 130 next-generation bi-level rail cars for high-speed service, an effort led by the state of California. That procurement resulted in the selection of Nippon-Sharyo, which is building the rail cars from its plant in Rochelle, Illinois, including the 88 cars to be used on Midwest high-speed corridors. The Rochelle plant opened in 2012 and has created 250 jobs in Illinois.

Illinois debuted 110-mph service on a 15-mile segment of the Chicago-St. Louis corridor from Dwight to Pontiac in fall 2012, and IDOT is working with the private railroads and FRA to ensure that positive train control requirements and all needed track and crossing improvements are completed in order to expand 110-mph service as much as possible in the years ahead. The FRA in December provided a Record of Decision on the entire Chicago-St. Louis corridor, allowing Illinois to begin in-depth corridor segment studies and specific project studies to move toward high-speed service on the other 25 percent of the corridor as soon as possible, including segments from Joliet to Chicago and from Alton to St. Louis.  The segment from Dwight to Joliet is under development and is expected to offer 110-mph service in 2017.

Illinois also is working in close partnership with the state of Michigan to establish 110-mph service from Chicago to Detroit as the next Midwest segment targeted to run at higher speeds.

The state helps fund 28 Amtrak trains serving four corridors including those from Chicago to Milwaukee and St. Louis. The partnership with Amtrak has led to a steady increase in ridership in recent years. The state-supported corridors together carried a record 1.8 million passengers last year. Ridership growth in Illinois has been exceptional, up more than 92 percent overall since 2006, and up on the Chicago to St. Louis corridor by 224 percent.

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State Will Seek Federal Funds for Critical Project to Ease Congestion, Create Jobs and Improve Safety by Fixing Nation's #1 Bottleneck

CHICAGO - Following approval today by a key planning group, Governor Pat Quinn has directed the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to accelerate a $420 million project that will reconstruct Chicago's famed Circle Interchange, improving traffic flow in the most congested interchange in the nation. Today's decision by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) to include the project in the "GO TO 2040" long-term transportation plan allows IDOT to pursue federal funding for the landmark project that will create thousands of jobs. Today's announcement is part of the Governor's agenda to create jobs and drive more economic growth.

"Strengthening our transportation system drives economic growth for generations to come while creating thousands of jobs today," Governor Quinn said. "Reconstructing the Circle Interchange will ease congestion, move people and freight more efficiently, and clean up the environment by reducing emissions from idling vehicles."

The Circle Interchange Improvement project will improve traffic flow on the three expressways that meet in the heart of Chicago. According to estimates by transportation planners, it will reduce traffic delays by at least 50 percent; it will save drivers 5 million hours annually; and the improved traffic flow will lead to savings of 1.6 million gallons of fuel per year.

IDOT Secretary Ann Schneider is chair of the CMAP policy committee and presided today over a meeting at which CMAP agreed to IDOT's recommendation to amend the region's long range transportation plan, GO TO 2040,  to accommodate the Circle Interchange project.  Additionally, this project will put hundreds of men and women to work rebuilding and repairing our critical transportation network.

"Through a comprehensive and transparent process, we have identified a plan for the Circle Interchange that will keep our region and our economy moving," Transportation Secretary Schneider said. "We applaud CMAP's decision to support Governor Quinn's efforts to enhance safety and improve congestion at the Circle Interchange and include this project in the region's long-range plan, so we can continue our planning and design efforts without delay."

The Circle Interchange was constructed between 1958 and 1962, and has outlived its design life according to several performance indicators on safety, infrastructure condition and congestion. The interchange experiences an average of 940 crashes per year. In addition, each day,  more than 400,000 vehicles pass through the Circle Interchange, which connects the Kennedy, Dan Ryan and Eisenhower expressways, and is a vital regional and local hub for commuters, businesses and freight movement. In 2010, the Federal Highway Administration and the American Transportation Research Institute identified the Circle Interchange as the No. 1 bottleneck among highways crucial to the nation's freight transportation system. Of the more than 400,000 vehicles that use the interchange each day, about 33,000 are trucks.

Based on engineering concerns over safety, infrastructure condition and congestion, Governor Quinn last April directed IDOT to begin planning work for this estimated $420 million project. The planning work began in spring 2012 and is proceeding on an accelerated schedule. Extensive stakeholder outreach has been a focal point of a comprehensive planning process, which is expected to be completed in spring 2013.

The proposed scope of the work involve replacing aging ramps and pavement with two existing single-lane ramps (the northbound Dan Ryan (I-90/94) to the westbound Eisenhower (I-290); and the eastbound Eisenhower to northbound Kennedy (I-90/94)) being widened to two-lane ramps providing additional capacity.  In addition, the design of the ramp merging points will be reconfigured to provide safer and more efficient traffic flow. The new design incorporates aesthetic features and improves the multimodal transportation system of the surrounding street network with the inclusion of bike lanes, wider sidewalks and improved access to transit.

As part of the planning process, IDOT has been conducting an extensive public outreach and involvement campaign. The agency has scheduled a Public Hearing to provide an overview of the study process and solicit public input on April 3, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Marriot Chicago at Medical District/UIC, 625 South Ashland Ave. For more information about the project, go to: http://www.circleinterchange.org/.