New regulation of coal ash in Illinois; Durbin cosponsors War Powers Resolution; Champaign County man sentenced for fake pills

Two sessions on Tuesday at Danville Area Community College will give local residents the chance to tell the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency what they want from new rules regulating coal ash, a toxic substance produced by coal-fired power plants.

Illinois environmental agencies will create new rules for the storage and disposal of toxic coal ash from power plants, under a new law signed today by Governor J.B. Pritzker.

The Illinois Pollution Control Board determined an energy company is responsible for contaminating groundwater with coal ash in four Illinois communities. 

​Environmental groups are hailing passage of a bill (SB9) to regulate the cleanup of coal ash pits at Illinois power plant sites. The Illinois House passed the measure on Monday 77-35 with one member voting Present (following Senate passage on May 9), and it now goes to Governor Pritzker’s desk.