Today, more than 8 million Illinoisans are living in
areas where the air quality does not meet minimal federal health standards,
and where simply breathing the air can cause health consequences ranging
from asthma attacks to heart attacks and ultimately premature death.
The biggest sources of harmful air pollution in Illinois are cars, trucks
and coal-burning power plants. Pollution from coal-fired power
plants causes 2,361 non-fatal heart attacks, 156 lung cancer deaths,
and 1,356 premature deaths each year in Illinois.
