August 2018
Nearly 30 people attended a late July evening discussion session to talk about their hopes for a clean energy future for the greater Peoria area. The event was held at the Tri-County Urban League Building and sponsored by Central Illinois Healthy Community Alliance and Illinois People's Action.
Key points from the meeting include: participants want the clean energy future to be community oriented; they want community owned businesses such as energy efficiency installers and renewable energy (solar, wind) to be particularly minority-owned businesses that will hire local people of color as a major concern is this population has been left out of the clean energy equation. The majority of comments supported working now to reach 100% “clean energy” and that is imperative as soon as possible because of clear indications that climate change is a “slow moving train wreck.”
From smaller group discussions some priorities were: focusing on benefits to specific communities in need, including low income and environmental justice areas that have been impacted by lead pollution, air pollution, and other social burdens in disproportion; reducing air, water and carbon pollution from power plants; and creating clean energy jobs across the state with a focus on what can be done through local cooperation.