Illinois Business Journal Illinois Business Journal
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Former Missouri legislator and state transportation commission chairman Bill McKenna, paired with Illinois State Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-Collinsville), led behind-the-scenes negotiations which resulted in a successful pact to build the New Mississippi River Bridge.		 .

Behind the scenes effort culminates in bi-state bridge agreement
By ALAN J. ORTBALS

   When Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt met on Feb. 28 to sign the agreement to build the New Mississippi River Bridge, it was the result of months of behind the scenes negotiations between primarily two men - Illinois State Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-Collinsville) and Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission former chairman Bill McKenna.
   The Missouri Department of Transportation is organized [continue]

 
Illinois employers footing higher workers' comp insurance premiums than most other Midwest states
By KERRY L. SMITH

   Costs of workers' comp insurance premiums, when compared to neighboring states, make Illinois an expensive place in which to own and operate a business.
   According to the FY 2006 annual report from the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission - the state agency governing workers' compensation - Illinois employers pay one of the highest workers' comp insurance premium rates in the Midwest. Nationally, Illinois ranks 20th highest in terms of how much employers are paying per $100 of payroll in workers' comp-related insurance claims.
   Illinois' average premium rate is $2.69, which is higher than Missouri's ($2.50), Wisconsin's ($2.18), Indiana's ($1.24), Iowa's ($1.75), Michigan's ($2.05) and equal to [continue]

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Illinois' workers' compensation insurance premium rate of $2.69 (per $100 of payroll) is higher than many of its neighboring Midwestern states. Those working to encourage companies to expand and/or relocate business and industry here say this statistic is a key detriment.
 

ConocoPhillips refinery expansion still on hold with U.S. EPA, pending environmental groups' appeal over air quality permit
By KERRY L. SMITH

   A $4 billion planned capital investment by ConocoPhillips at its Roxana, Ill.-based Wood River Refinery remains on hold indefinitely as the company's air quality permit, approved in July by the Illinois EPA, awaits action before the U.S. EPA's Environmental Appeals Board.
   The two-phase expansion will enable the refinery to add a coker and be able to process Canadian crude oil. The coking process allows extraction of more product from the crude oil. ConocoPhillips' expansion plans follow its announcement in October 2007 to partner with Canadian natural gas and oil resource producer EnCana.
   But last August, one month after the IEPA granted the refinery its state [continue]