Springfield Citizens Urge Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to Protect Community From CWLP’s Coal Plant Pollution #BeyondCoal

On August 30, clean air advocates urged the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) to issue a strong Operating Permit that would limit how much air pollution City Water, Light and Power (CWLP) can release from its Dallman coal-fired power plant. The old Title V Operating Permit is outdated and does not even include the plant’s newest boiler, Unit 4, which has been operating since 2010. Advocates argued that the Clean Air Act Permit Program is a vital part of ensuring that the municipal utility is transparent and responsible in its operations and adheres to the legal limits set by the federal Clean Air Act.

“The operating permit includes provisions for monitoring emissions, recording those limits, and then reporting on them,” said Scott Gauvin, Chair of the Sierra Club Sangamon Valley Group. “The fact that all four units were not included in the permit is a great disservice to the people of Springfield. We deserve transparency regarding our publicly owned utility and without a strong permit, citizens have no idea what kind of pollution is getting into the air our families breathe.”

To ensure greater public safety, citizens’ groups in Illinois have pushed state agencies to increase protections by restricting the amount of toxic pollutants that polluters like CWLP can emit. Sierra Club members and allies have been calling for a public process at the city’s public utility for more than a year and believe that citizens should have a seat at the decision making table.

The hearing occurred as Springfield City Council continues to wrestle with the future of CWLP. The council is currently awaiting a study on new coal ash safeguards, which is expected to be followed by a financial analysis of the coal plant.