Report | Environment Illinois Research & Education Center

In the Path of the Storm

Weather disasters kill or injure hundreds of Americans each year and cause billions of dollars in economic damage. The risks posed by some types of weather-related disasters will likely increase in a warming world. Scientists have already detected increases in extreme precipitation events and heat waves in the United States, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recently concluded that global warming will likely lead to further changes in weather extremes.

News Release | Environment Illinois Research & Education Center

Obama Administration to Protect Americans’ Health by Setting Carbon Pollution Standards for New Power Plants

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today proposed historic new limits on carbon pollution from new power plants. Coal-fired power plants are the largest single source of carbon pollution in the U.S., yet there are currently no federal limits on this pollution from power plants. The proposed Carbon Pollution Standard will correct that for new power plants by limiting emissions to more than 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide pollution for each megawatt of electricity produced.

News Release | Environment Illinois

President and EPA Protect Public Health, Announce Landmark Mercury Standard for Power Plants

Today, President Obama and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the first-ever nationwide standard for mercury and air toxics pollution from power plants. A record 907,000 Americans submitted comments on the standard, which is expected to cut toxic mercury pollution from power plants by 91 percent.

News Release | Environment Illinois

Senate Passes Electric Rate Hikes to Underwrite Dirty Coal

Power politics prevailed over environment and ratepayer costs today, as the Illinois Senate voted to force Illinois citizens and businesses to purchase power from a proposed coal plant operated by Tenaska, an out-of-state corporation

News Release | Environment Illinois

Senators Kirk and Durbin Vote to Protect Public Health

To the disappointment of major polluters, today the U.S. Senate defeated Kentucky Senator Rand Paul’s bid to allow more soot and smog-forming pollution from power plants.

Report | Environment Illinois Research and Education Center

Danger in the Air

All Americans should be able to breathe clean air. But pollution from power plants and vehicles puts the health of our nation’s children and families at risk.

Result

Finally--A Strong Federal Mercury Standard

After we helped generate the most supportive public comments that the EPA has ever received on a draft rule, President Obama announced the first ever nationwide mercury standard for power plants just earlier this year.

Result

Attacks on public health defeated—for now.

The coal lobby and their allies are trying to block the EPA from protecting public health, but we’ve held the line against some of their worst attacks: In March, the U.S. Senate rejected a bill that would have blocked standards for soot, mercury and carbon pollution. In April, the Senate defeated four more bills that would have blocked the EPA from cutting air pollution. We need your help to keep up the fight.