CITIZENS

AGAIN ST

RUINING the

ENVIRONMENT

P .O. Box 536

Lockport , IL 60441

Web Site

http ://carelockport.homestead .com

e-Mail

carelockport@usa.com

9/20/06

Comments to the Illinois Pollution Control Board

Citizens Against Ruining the Environment – CARE is a grass roots organization in Lockport, IL.

CARE finds it appalling that local citizens must come before the IPC to beg for Health & Environmental

Justice. It is also our expectation that you will Listen to the People and Not to the Polluting Industries & their

lobbyists.

Many of us live within the fall zone from a “grandfathered” Coal Fired Power Plant in Romeoville. We also

have a plant approx. 8 miles to the South as well as the 2 Coal plants in Chicago, approx 15-30 miles to our

East. Needless to say, Asthma & lung diseases are prevalent in our immediate area.

As you know the Governor has approved several new plants to be built in IL utilizing IL coal, which is known

to have an extremely high Sulphur content.

C.A.R.E. has attended several Public Hearings in protest of inferior pollution control standards for Coal Fired

Power Plants as well as a Public Hearing for a new facility. We often hear comments from the IEPA that there

is a shortage of MONEY & that they are understaffed. The IEPA also reverts to the USEPA for programs &

answers.

The USEPA has been aware of Mercury since 1971 and has basically done nothing but create public awareness

of the dangers. In 1998 your committee stated that it was “appropriate & necessary” to justify regulating power

plants’ emissions of HAPs. The studies showed that mercury pollution causes severe health effects.

That was over 30 years ago. It is our understanding that in 2001 the EPA estimated that Coal Fired Power

Plants could achieve an average of 90% Mercury reduction under Maximum Achievable Control Technologies -

- in approx 8 years. Had that concept been enacted, we would have 5 years left to a 90% Mercury reduction.

Now, you are considering another extension for Mercury emissions for the year 2018? CARE believes that this

is outrageous!

Do you have any idea of how many people have suffered, how many lives have been lost due to the extensions?

Is there any wonder that Medical Insurance Rates have increased? Neurotoxins, asthma, lung disease! My

sister-in-law died of emphysema, babies, children & seniors in our neighborhood, including my husband & I are

using inhalers. Why?

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As approx. 300,000 children are born each year with a heightened risk for neurological problems related to

Mercury exposure -. Is there a necessity for more Neuroscientists & Neurologists in 2004 than in previous

years?

When studies prove, or for that matter even insinuate, that industries such as coal power plants are creating

harmful health & environment impacts – Why? – would there be ANY hesitation as to the Immediate

establishment of the most Stringent Regulations & the most current technology available including Pilot

Programs.

It’s CARE’s belief that the price of higher pollution control standards & costs of this technology to the Coal

Fired Industry has an impact on your decisions. Is it better to have higher Medical Insurance Rates at the cost

of human health and/or life?

If it’s MONEY then the Coal Industry, as well as any polluting industries must realize that that is the Cost of

Doing Business. Can a price be put on health or our environment? The cost of pollution controls should not be

taken into consideration.

We have many other concerns, one of which is how averaging in combination with the credits effect the

environment? We have been told by the IEPA that “averaging and credits are not used for problems where

there are potential local impacts.” We would like to know how local impacts could possibly be avoided?

CARE is requesting that:

1. Immediate action be taken on Mercury;

2. The most stringent regulations for Mercury be applicable as required by the Clean Air Act;

3. Max standards for pollution controls be implemented for Mercury, Sulphur Dioxide and Nitrogen oxide

releases;

4. CARE also requests a complete toxic air quality study that would encompass communities such as

Lockport that are within close proximity to these facilities & similar polluting industries.

Thank you for the opportunity to voice our concerns. We truly hope that you

Listen to the People !

Our group has been very concerned about the coal fired power plants here in Romeoville and Joliet, and have

consistently fought for updated pollution controls with other environmental organizations such as Illinois PIRG,

Chicago Legal Clinic, ELPC, American Lung, Sierra Club and many others.

This past February, Ellen Rendulich another C.A.R.E. Director and I assisted the Sierra Club at the Southwest

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annual Fishing and Boating Show in Lockport. We met with many people that day while handing out

literature. As the day wore on, one thing became alarmingly apparent and that was that approximately 20-30 % of

the fishermen we spoke to were NOT aware that consuming fish from Illinois waterways could be hazardous to them

or their loved ones. Some fishermen were not even aware that Mercury in fish was an issue here. What surprised

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Ellen and I the most, was that after all these years of media attention, on radio, television and in the newspapers,

there were still some people totally unaware that mercury could pose a threat to them.

The twenty-one coal-fired power plants in Illinois are a threat to them, and to every citizen living here in Illinois.

They are the single largest source of in-state mercury emissions, emitting more than all other human activities

combined. One of the highest mercury concentrations of sampled fish is right here in Will County. That location is

the Monee Reservoir ranked #2 in the state. Another startling ranking is Lake Renwick at #14 for sampled fish with

higher then normal mercury concentrations. One fish sample from Lake Renwick showed .35 ppm (parts per million)

when .13 is considered safe. This is nearly 3 times the safe limit. What is most disturbing about the Lake Renwick

statistics is that we just recently learned that many of the fishermen here actually do NOT practice “Catch and

Release” at this site, and instead are consuming the toxic fish.

In March 2006, IEPA submitted to the Illinois Pollution Control Board a strong proposal to eliminate 90 percent of

mercury emissions from these plants by 2009. Since the Midwest Generation Plant in Joliet is ranked #3 in the state

and the Will County Plant, behind us here is ranked #7, we feel this would be a great place to start that 90 %

Reduction plan.

Citizens Against Ruining the Environment

Directors

Ellen Rendulich

815-834-1611

Carol Stark

Sandy Burcenski

Wendy Vlasak

815-838-1483

815-838-1442

815-838-0662

ELECTRONIC FILING, RECEIVED, CLERK'S OFFICE, SEPTEMBER 21, 2006

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