Houston-based power producer Dynegy will not have extra time to comply with pollution standards for five Illinois coal power plants. The company recently bought five Illinois coal power plants from Ameren, including the Edwards coal plant in Bartonville. The Illinois Pollution Control Board denied a request by Ameren to transfer the company’s pollution variance to Dynegy. That would have given the company five extra years to comply with state pollution standards enacted in 2006.
Environmental groups say the Board’s decision is a victory for public health. The groups say the Bartonville coal facility operated with outdated pollution controls that contribute to significant health problems.
Ameren says the Board’s denial was purely procedural, and both the company and Dynegy are confident that the Board will ultimately grant the variance request. Ameren says that a new filing for the pollution variance will be made in the near future.