Illinois finalizes FutureGen lobbying contract
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SPRINGFIELD — The state has finished hiring a prominent Washington, D.C., lobbying firm to push officials to build a prototypical power plant in Illinois.
Cassidy & Associates will work to lure FutureGen, an experimental coal-fired plant that pumps pollutants into the ground instead of the air, to either Mattoon or Tuscola. The two Illinois towns are competing with two in Texas.
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity spokesman Andrew Ross said the state hired the lobbying firm for an $111,000 contract, with a possible $192,000 extension, because of their background in energy issues.
Former Illinois congressman Martin Russo is a vice chairman of Cassidy & Associates.
Ross said the move to hire outside help was a way to make sure the state used every possible means to land FutureGen.
“Gov. Blagojevich wants to make sure we’re leaving nothing to chance,” he said.
But unlike officials in Texas, Illinois lawmakers have yet to finish legislation to offer FutureGen’s developers incentives to come to the state.
Approving new rules to deflect some lawsuits should FutureGen’s technology go awry is crucial to landing the plant. Texas did so months ago, but Illinois has yet to finish their legislation.
— Mike Riopell
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