LATEST CAMPAIGN NEWS
Victory! Midwest Gen Agrees to Cut Mercury Pollution at its Illinois Coal Plants!
December 12, 2006 - The mercury pollution reduction rule passed its final hurdle today when the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules voted unanimously in its favor. The rule requires coal plants to reduce mercury pollution by 90% by 2009, making it one of the strongest rules in the country. ELPC helped to design the rule and worked hard at every stage for its passage.
"Today's actions on mercury pollution are a tremendous victory for all of us who care about protecting children's health and the environment," said Howard Learner, Executive Director of the Environmental Law & Policy Center. Click here to read more.
Illinois Pollution Control Board Unanimously Approves Mercury Pollution Reduction Rule
The Illinois Pollution Control Board (IPCB) has unanimously approved strong new rules to reduce mercury pollution! The decision came after the IPCB held hearings in Springfield and Chicago and reviewed a record number of more than 7,000 public comments.
The mercury rule must now be approved by the Joint Committee on Administrative
Rules (JCAR) in the Illinois General Assembly. Their review of the rule
is the final step in the process that began when Gov. Blagojevich proposed
the mercury reduction rule on January 5. As with every other step in
this process, ELPC will be working aggressively to protect public health
and the environment.
Second Utility Agrees to Mercury and Clean Air Deal with Illinois EPA
August 22, 2006 -- Governor Blagojevich, Illinois EPA and Dynegy, with ELPC's involvement, announced a new mercury and clean air agreement. The agreement was reached two weeks after the announcement of a similar deal with Ameren, another Illinois utility. Both deals came in response to the Governor's mercury pollution reduction plan that he proposed earlier this year. ELPC was instrumental in the development of the plan that calls for a 90% reduction in mercury pollution from Illinois coal plants by June 30, 2009.
Contact Midwest Generation and encourage them to be good corporate citizens and help protect childrens' health and the environment.
ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN
Supporting a Strong Mercury Pollution Reduction Plan
On
January 5, 2006, Governor Blagojevich proposed a strong set of mercury
pollution control standards to protect children's health and our environment.
The standards require coal plant owners to install modern pollution
control equipment to reduce mercury pollution by 90% or more by June
30, 2009. This mercury pollution control technology is available, affordable
and in use in other states.
If passed, the plan would make Illinois a national leader in reducing mercury pollution threats. Combined with measures underway in other states in the Midwest, it will go a long way towards reducing mercury in the Great Lakes and our inland lakes and rivers. That's why leading public health and environmental groups have joined together in a coalition effort to make this plan a reality in Illinois.
PLEASE MAKE A DONATION AND HELP THE CAMPAIGN SUCCEED
Please donate and help us to make the case effectively in order to protect our children's health and our environment.
The Governor's announcement of this strong mercury pollution reduction plan is a key first step. But, we expect the the large out-of-state energy companies, which own the coal plants, will counterattack. We will need to support strong mercury pollution reduction standards before the Illinois Pollution Control Board and before the Legislature. We need money for attorneys and expert witnesses for mercury rulemaking hearings before the Illinois Pollution Control Board. The attorneys -- at public interest rates -- will cost at least $30,000. The expert witnesses on the economic reasonableness of the mercury pollution reduction plan, its technological feasibility, and the public health and environmental benefits will each cost about $10,000.
You can make your contribution on-line through ELPC's secure server or contact us at contributions@elpc.org