About Power Plants

Older coal-fired power plants are among the largest sources of dangerous air pollution in the Chicago area.

Two coal plants, Fisk and Crawford Generating Stations, continue to operate in the city of Chicago. Four other coal power plants operate in the suburbs of Chicago, and one more operates mere feet from the Chicago city limits in northwest Indiana. All were built before the Clean Air Act was passed in 1970 and have avoided installing necessary modern pollution controls for decades. Approximately two dozen large coal power plants still operate in Illinois.

These power plants continue to emit thousands of tons of deadly air pollution every year, which adds to health problems caused by air pollution in the Chicago region. Air pollution from the Fisk and Crawford stations was linked to more than 40 deaths and 700 asthma attacks annually, according to a 2010 Clean Air Task Force study.

But, Illinois state pollution rules enacted in 2006, and new federal EPA rules, will require such coal plants to make decisions in the next few years on whether to continue operating. Federal requirements to limit toxic soot and global warming gas emissions from coal-fired power plants could soon lead to more power plant retirements and cleaner air.

Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago continues to work with many partners to significantly reduce air pollution from power plants that degrade air quality in the Chicago region.

Current efforts

As a founding member of the Chicago Clean Power Coalition, Respiratory Health Association strongly supports efforts that would result in the city of Chicago setting emission limits on power plants located within its corporate boundaries in order to improve local air quality and protect public health.

Due to Illinois state pollution rules enacted in 2006, and new federal EPA rules, coal plants will have to begin adding significant pollution controls or start planning to cease operations and close older coal power plants during the next few years. Several proposals to build new coal power plants in Illinois have been defeated over the last several years.

Respiratory Health Association also supports efforts to increase the use of clean, non-polluting sources of energy in Illinois, such as energy efficiency, wind power generation and solar power. Our current efforts include ensuring successful implementation of a state law that requires getting 25 percent of electrical power from clean renewable energy, such as non-polluting wind generation, by 2025. We continue to support efforts at the local, state and federal level to advance and increase the use of non-polluting energy sources in Illinois. 

 

Past successes

In 2003, Respiratory Health Association appealed federal air pollution permits for the Fisk and Crawford Generating Stations, contending they allowed the power plants to continue to violate Clean Air Act permit requirements. This effort ultimately led to the U.S. EPA, Department of Justice and the Illinois Attorney General filing suit against the company in federal court for violating the Clean Air Act in August 2009.  Respiratory Health Association has joined that lawsuit, which is ongoing.

Since 2008, two older coal plants in the Chicago suburbs have decommissioned three coal-fired electricity generating units, as required by state regulations. As of late 2011, two more coal plants in Illinois upwind of Chicago announced they would close by 2012. The coal-fired State Line plant in nearby Hammond, Ind., also announced it would cease operations in 2012.

Respiratory Health Association was also active in efforts by the Illinois EPA to implement strong state pollution regulations for power plants.  State rules finalized in 2006 are drastically reducing pollution from many coal fired power plants in Illinois between 2008 and 2018.

For more information, contact Brian Urbaszewski:
Email Brian
(312) 628-0245