Image Description: NRG Waukegan Generating Station
What is Coal Ash?
Coal ash is a waste byproduct of burning coal and contains toxic metals that cause severe, long term health problems for communities located near coal-burning facilities. Coal ash is stored on-site at in "coal ash ponds" where the coal ash is mixed with water. Because nearly all coal ash ponds exist near sources of freshwater such as rivers and lakes, it is dangerously easy for coal ash pollutants to seep into the groundwater and contaminate vital water sources.
What's the Problem?
Safe closure of coal ash impoundments is critically important to protecting the health of communities who live around these coal ash sites. In Illinois, clean-up of contaminated land and water is a major issue in Illinois. The Coal Ash Pollution Prevention Act, passed last year, set up a rulemaking process for the development of regulations for coal ash sites, but it doesn’t guarantee that these rules will be strong. We need your voice to take action so that strong safegaurds can be put in place to prevent further pollution AND hold companies accountable to clean up water that has already been contaminated.
TAKE ACTION
You can tell the Illinois Pollution Control Board about the risks of coal ash near you, and what protections would be best to make sure your communities and the environment are safe.
Email the Illinois Pollution Control Board
The Illinois Pollution Control Board (IPCB) is developing rules to regulate coal ash and has held multiple hearings with opportunity for public comment. This week, the IPCB will be taking written public comment via emails to Clerk of the Board Don Brown: (don.brown@illinois.gov). Click the link below to start your email!
Sign the Petition
As an effort to ensure the strongest possible regulations are in place to protect communities near coal-fired power plants, the Prairie Rivers Network created a petition to show Illinoisans support of the Coal Ash Pollution Prevention Act being implemented to its fullest. Sign the petition below to add your name to the growing list!