Illinois environmental groups continue to lobby for Dynegy to meet clean air standards. Dynegy is asking the government to grant it a 5-year delay in meeting the pollution control standards.
There's a hearing on the subject is Tuesday in Springfield. Houston-based Dynegy’s purchase of Ameren’s five coal-fired power plants hinges on the company receiving the variance. That includes the Edwards plant in Bartonville.
Members of the Sierra Club and Central Illinois Healthy Communities Alliance say if Dynegy receives the variance means further health risks for those living near the plants.
Kady McFadden is with the Sierra Club. “It’s just a basic fact that keeping this plant open and operating without lifesaving pollution control for five more years will mean more asthma attacks, more premature deaths. It’s just more health conditions from the facility. So we are asking the Pollution Control Board to deny the variance.”
Dynegy is expected to purchase Ameren’s coal plants at no cost, but will inherit the debt of the facilities. The company has said it will not finalize the purchase if it doesn’t receive the variance.
The Illinois environmental groups are traveling in buses to the hearing tomorrow in Springfield.
http://action.sierraclub.org/site/PageNavigator/event_FLD_IL_Dynegy.html