The Great Lakes Zephyr - Wind Energy & Hydrogen Journal

Tell Governor Blagojevich TODAY he should clean up polluting power plants in Illinois!

Sound science shows that pollution from old coal-fired power

plants is literally killing hundreds of Illinois residents and

causing tens of thousands of preventable asthma attacks here

every single year. These plants also emit thousands of pounds of

brain-damaging mercury every year, which ends up in Illinois

waters and in the fish we and our families eat.



When he ran for office Governor Blagojevich promised to set new

long term pollution rules for power plants, and now he is making

his final decision on exactly what action Illinois will take to

clean up old, dirty coal-fired power plants. His final decision

will likely be made this week. We NEED strong pollution rules in

Illinois to clean up the largest single sources of dangerous air

pollution in Illinois, and Governor Blagojevich needs to hear

from you!



Let Governor Blagojevich know air pollution that endangers your

health and the health of your family is unacceptable by faxing

him a letter asking him to propose and enact tight state

pollution rules for coal-fired power plants!!



Governor Blagojevich must direct the Illinois EPA and the

Pollution Control Board to enact state pollution rules that cut

toxic mercury emissions by 90 percent by 2009, and smog and soot

pollution from power plants by two-thirds by 2010. Illinois

rules should require that all pollution from power plants is

reduced by at least 90 percent by 2020.



Action Needed--ACT NOW as the Governor could make his decision

this week! Please use the link below to send a fax to Governor

Blagojevich which asks him to set strong pollution limits for

Illinois¿ coal-fired power plants.



Take action by Thursday, September 30, 2004.



You can take action on this alert via the web at:

http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/coalplants/83d5wn2fj37edw



Visit the web address below to tell your friends about this.

http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/coalplants/forward/83d5wn2fj37edw



We encourage you to take action by October 1, 2004



Act Today! Clean Up Old Coal Plants in Illinois!



INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPOND VIA THE WEB:

If you have access to a web browser, you can take action on this

alert by going to the following URL:



http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/coalplants/83d5wn2fj37edw



Your letter will be addressed and sent to:

Governor Rod Blagojevich (if you live in IL)



----THIS LETTER WILL BE SENT IN YOUR NAME----

Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here],



Illinois is suffering from dangerous problems that have been

ignored for far too long. State residents must now avoid eating

fish caught anywhere in Illinois' waters because of their high

mercury content, and two-thirds of Illinoisans still breathe air

that fails to meet minimal health standards for deadly soot and

smog. Illinois' fleet of 23 old coal-fired power plants is

largely responsible for both problems. I am writing to ask you

to direct the Illinois EPA and the Illinois Pollution Control

Board to enact strong new power plant pollution limits for

coal-fired power plants in Illinois.



In the last 18 months, the federal government has failed

Illinois. The U.S. EPA rolled back several critical provisions

under the Clean Air Act, actually making it easier for old power

plants to increase pollution and to avoid installing controls

that would lower air pollution in Illinois. Attorney General

Madigan has been forced to take legal action against U.S. EPA in

an attempt to stop these rollbacks. Illinois EPA Director

Cipriano also testified this year that federal air pollution

policies are far short of what is needed to protect Illinois

residents. U.S. EPA's current proposal on power plant pollution

will mean that nearly two-thirds of Illinois residents will

still be breathing unhealthy air in 2015 and beyond.



In 2002, you promised to set new long term pollution standards

for power plants in Illinois. Your leadership in on this issue

is needed now. In our state, 90 percent of the brain-damaging

mercury emitted can and must be eliminated at every coal fired

power plant by 2009. Two-thirds of the power plant pollution

that causes asthma and heart attacks in Illinois can and must

also be cut by 2010. All power plants located within areas that

fail to meet air quality standards must also be required to add

modern pollution controls. 90 percent of both types of pollution

can and should be eliminated by 2020.



Strong rules in Illinois would slash the more than 1350

premature deaths and nearly 34,000 asthma attacks that Illinois

residents now endure every year from power plant pollution

alone. They would also create economic opportunities. Adding

modern pollution controls at Illinois power plants and

increasing clean renewable sources of power in Illinois would

also create good and needed jobs. Strong rules would also help

to stabilize Illinois coal industry by encouraging the use of

much cleaner advanced technologies like integrated gasification

combined cycle power systems.



I look forward to your response.



----END OF LETTER TO BE SENT----



Sincerely,

(Your Name)



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