Changes

On August 31, Joliet residents protest protested outside Rep. Kinzinger office. The protest was in response to recent reports finding that pollution was found in groundwater at all 22 coal ash ponds evaluated by the Illinois EPA. Yet Still, 11 Illinois congressmen are pushing to block the U.S. EPA from cleaning up coal ash in the state, among them Rep. Adam Kinzinger. Protestors called on the Illinois EPA to protect citizens from the groundwater contamination emanating from the Lincoln Stone Quarry, where coal ash has been disposed for over a decade. Joliet residents contend that that Illinois EPA has known about groundwater pollution at this site for more than 12 years and has done nothing to stop the disposal of coal ash that is causing this contamination. Following the rally, the group marched into Rep. Kinzinger’s office and asked that he withdraw his support of legislation (H.R. 2273) that would strip the EPA of authority to regulate coal ash and prevent EPA from phasing out the use of dangerous coal ash ponds.<ref>[http://earthjustice.org/blog/2011-august/tr-ash-talk-rebellion-against-coal-ash-in-illinois "Tr-Ash Talk: Rebellion Against Coal Ash in Illinois"] Earthjustice, Aug. 31, 2011.</ref>