Environmental Regulation

Congressional representatives from St. Louis and Kansas City and environmental groups argue the state’s plan doesn’t make meaningful attempts to reduce the pollution that causes haze.

The lawsuit, originally filed in 2021, accuses the agrochemical giant's plant in neighboring Sauget of polluting East St. Louis.

Lawmakers and environmental advocates raised concerns about the potential for PFAS chemicals to be burned in the Metro East.

The additional rules would build on ones finalized in April and would tackle historic ash fill, temporary storage piles, dust monitors and the way Illinois defines an environmental justice community.

The Illinois Pollution Control Board adopted rules governing how power plants close coal ash ponds that contain toxic waste on Thursday. The new rules require power plant operators to consider a range of options and allow public comments.

The Environmental Justice For All Act would amend current law and add new programs such as creating parks in communities across the country.

More than half of Illinois' 23 coal plants are closed, and five more will be shuttered this decade. Without clear rules for demolitions, activists say more environmental problems are likely to occur.