Lake County Conservation Alliance--C.A.R.E-- American Lung Association of Metropolitan Chicago--Environmental Law and Policy Center--Sierra Club--


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT
September 13, 2004 Ellen Rendulich, C.A.R.E. 815.592.5629 Jill Geiger, ELPC, 312.673.6500
Bruce Nilles, Sierra Club, 312.217.9725


Groups Announce Lawsuits Against The Bush Administration Over Aging Coal Plants Midwest Generation's Dirty Coal Plants Target of Lawsuits

Chicago, IL-Environmental and public health groups announced three lawsuits directed at the Bush Administration for failing to ensure five aging coal-burning power plants have strong permits that end ongoing pollution violations. The targets are five coal plants owned by Midwest Generation and located in Joliet, Romeoville, Waukegan and Chicago. These old coal-burning power plants belch tens of thousands of tons of soot, smog, mercury and global warming pollution in the region's air every year.

"We have been patiently waiting for six years for the region's old, dirty coal-burning power plants to be issued strong and enforceable clean air permits," said Verena Owen, of the Lake County Conservation Alliance. "The ultimate responsibility for making sure permits are in place rests with the Bush Administration and our patience is exhausted," she added. "We have no choice but to file suit."

The federal Clean Air Act requires US EPA to ensure that by 1998 all major sources of air pollution, including coal-burning power plants, have operating permits that establish monitoring requirements to ensure that each polluter is complying with clean air protections and contain a stringent and prompt compliance schedule for polluters not currently in compliance. Six years later, the five coal plants at issue in this litigation are regularly violating clean air standards and still do not have their permits.

"The Bush Administration has stood by while these old, dirty coal-burning power plants continue to pollute our air and make us sick," said Ellen Rendulich, Director of Citizens Against Ruining the Environment. "Over a year ago we notified US EPA that these power plants were regularly violating clean air protections and urged action, including the issuance of strong permits that demanded immediate compliance," she added. "The only result we have seen is more pollution."

The Chicago region is designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as exceeding federal air quality standards for smog (ozone) and fine particle pollution. This pollution causes a host of breathing problems, including more frequent and more severe asthma attacks, heart attacks, and premature death. The region's old coal-burning power plants - all lacking modern pollution controls -- are the state's largest sources of air pollution. A 2002 Harvard study found that the nine existing, dirty coal plants in and around Chicago - including the five at issue in this litigation -- are responsible for 320 premature deaths and 21,500 asthma attacks, each year.

"These coal-burning power plants are the single biggest threat to the region's air quality," said Brian Urbaszewski, Director of Environmental Health Programs for the American Lung Association of Metropolitan Chicago. "It is simply unacceptable that the US EPA has allowed these power plants to continue to violate clean air protections when they know that the pollution is causing more asthma attacks, heart attacks and premature deaths."



The Chicago region is in the midst of an asthma epidemic. The Chicago Tribune has reported that the region's asthma rates are 30-40 percent above the national average and more people die from asthma in Chicago than in any other place in the United States. A 2004 Sinai Health Systems study estimated that over 25 percent of school aged children in some Chicago neighborhoods suffer from asthma.

"We are filing suit to compel the Bush Administration to protect our air," said Bruce Nilles, Sierra Club's Regional Representative. "At the same time we are calling on Governor Blagojevich to issue and enforce strong power plant clean up rules because the US EPA is neglecting the health and welfare of Illinois residents."

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