Illinois State Senator Dave Koehler
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NEWS: Koehler proposes Gas Upgrade plan

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Category: Latest
Friday, February 15, 2013 03:47 PM

koehlermicSPRINGFIELD – Illinois has nearly 2,000 miles of cast- and wrought-iron gas mains – many more than 60 years old. The federal government has identified these aging gas lines as a major public safety risk and issued a call to action to replace them as soon as possible.

"Illinois' aging gas lines are a real public safety hazard," said State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria). "And it's only going to get worse the longer we go without replacing them. Today, I've taken the first step by proposing legislation that will give gas distributors the tools they need to begin upgrading Illinois' pipelines."

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Illinois had 27 gas incidents caused by old, substandard gas lines between 2002 and 2011. Though the state had no fatalities, there were several injuries and more than $7 million in property damage during this time period.

"Replacing crumbling gas lines will also create thousands of jobs and help protect the environment by preventing underground gas leaks," Koehler added. "The time to do this is now, while natural gas prices are low."

Koehler's legislation, Senate Bill 1665, will make it easier for gas distributors to recover the cost of natural gas pipeline upgrades, making Illinois more competitive with neighboring states like Indiana, Missouri and Kentucky, which already have similar laws. It also enables gas companies to move gas meters to the outside of buildings and install modern tracking technology, reducing the need for manual meter readings and cutting customer costs. Outdoor meters make it easier for firefighters to shut off gas mains during emergencies.

The Illinois Commerce Commission keeps its strong oversight and review powers under the Gas Upgrade plan and gains new authority to penalize gas distribution companies if they don't meet annual performance and transparency goals.

PHOTO: "The arc of history does bend toward justice."

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Category: Latest
Friday, February 15, 2013 08:40 AM

Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) speaks in support of Senate Bill 10, the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act, during debate Thursday on the Senate floor.

Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) speaks in support of Senate Bill 10, the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act, during debate Thursday on the Senate floor. (click to enlarge)

PHOTO: Koehler after the State of the State address

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Category: Latest
Monday, February 11, 2013 09:58 AM

State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) and State Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth (D-Peoria) leave the House chamber after the governor's State of the State address Wednesday.

Senate committee directs Dept. of Public Health to address smoking rules

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Category: Press Releases
Monday, August 20, 2012 11:50 AM

After a hearing in Peoria last week, an Illinois Senate committee has directed the Department of Public Health (DPH) to write official rules about smoking in outdoor restaurant patios and bar beer gardens.  The hearing was prompted by an incident in which many Peoria-area bars and patrons received smoking tickets for violating the Smoke Free Illinois Act when they thought they were in compliance with the law.  In at least one case, the bar owners had explicitly sought the advice of DPH before they started construction on their beer garden.

“We really need to clarify rules for the police, as well as restaurant and bar owners,” said State Senator Dave Koehler, who has taken a lead role in pushing the issue to the forefront.  “We can’t have Public Health telling bar owners one thing and the police enforcing another.  That’s just not fair for anyone.”

Read more …

More Articles …

  1. Koehler donates food and lodging reimbursement to charity
  2. Koehler announces hearing on smoking rules
  3. Koehler introduces legislation to attract fertilizer plant and 200 jobs to Peoria
  4. Senator Koehler’s legislation protecting phone customers passes the House and Senate
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Contact Info

Springfield Office:
323B Capitol Building
Springfield, IL 62706
(217) 782-8250

Peoria Office:
1203 East Kingman Ave.
Peoria Heights, IL 61616
(309) 677-0120

Bloomington-Normal Office:
216 N. Center St.
Bloomington, IL 61701
(309) 808-2345

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