Gov. JB Pritzker and other Democratic leaders announced Thursday, May 20, that they have agreed to a plan to repay the money Illinois borrowed from the
St. Louis Public Radio
Illinois has new regulations on how power plants can close coal ash ponds that contain toxic waste. Missouri officials also are addressing coal ash ponds like this one at the Meramec Energy Center in St. Louis County.
Illinois now has broad regulations for how power companies may close coal ash ponds.
The rules the Illinois Pollution Control Board adopted Thursday determine how to close more than 70 ash ponds across the state that contain toxic waste.
“These ponds have to close, they’re not safe,” said Andrew Rehn, a civil engineer at Prairie Rivers Network, an organization that works on pollution issues in Illinois.
Environmental Groups: Stateâs Coal Ash Proposal a Good Start Proposed changes to Illinois Coal Ash Rule incorporate groupsâ input on monitoring, public participation, environmental justice
Contacts
Paul Dailing, Environmental Law & Policy Center, (312) 771-1979
Andrew Rehn, Prairie Rivers Network, (708) 305-6181 Chicago, IL â
The Illinois Pollution Control Boardâs February 5th revisions to coal ash regulations proposed by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) make progress towards rectifying coal s dirty legacy in Illinois, but more can be done, said several environmental groups.Â
Coal ash, the waste from burning coal, has contaminated groundwater in Illinois around both active and closed coal plants with arsenic, boron, sulfate, and other chemicals. A 2018 report by Environmental Integrity Project, Earthjustice, Prairie Rivers Network, and Sierra Club found widespread pollution in groundwater around 22