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SW: →August 2011: Citizens call for coal ash regulation: - add section
===August 2011: Citizens call for coal ash regulation===
On August 31, Joliet residents 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. 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>
===September 2011: Rally for Chicago Clean Power Ordinance===
On Sep. 20, 2011, nearly one hundred supporters of the Chicago Clean Power Coalition hand delivered a petition with over 5,000 signatures to Mayor Emanuel’s office asking him to pass the Chicago Clean Power Ordinance. The Clean Power Coalition has been working to pass the Clean Power Ordinance to reduce particle matter and greenhouse gas pollution from the Fisk and Crawford coal plants, and is backed by a citywide grassroots coalition of over 60 community, health, labor and environmental groups.
Aldermen Danny Solis (20th Ward) and Joe Moore (49th Ward) announced in July 2011 that 31 City Council members had signed on as co-sponsors of the Chicago Clean Power ordinance. Only 26 votes are needed for the ordinance to become law. During the re-introduction of the ordinance, Mayor Rahm Emanuel indicated strong support for the goals of the ordinance, stating that ““We are paying a health care cost as a city because of the plants. I want [Midwest Generation] as a company to be a responsible citizen to the people of the city of Chicago.”<ref>[http://cleanpowerchicago.org/2011/09/20/human-billboard-at-city-hall-asking-mayor-to-move-off-coal/ "Over 5,000 Chicagoans Ask Mayor Emanuel to Stop Coal Pollution in Chicago Supporters Create Human Billboard at City Hall to Protect Public Health"] Chicago Clean Power Coalition, Sep. 20, 2011.</ref>
==Reports==
