Illinois Governor Quinn Promises Strong Action On Petcoke Problems

More Action Needed As New Regulations Fall Short

CHICAGO (January 17, 2014) – Despite strong statements and leadership from Governor Pat Quinn, emergency petcoke regulations unveiled by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency today fall far short of the mark, according to legal experts with the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Following is a joint statement from NRDC Midwest Director Henry Henderson and Southeast Environmental Task Force Executive Director Peggy Salazar:

“The Governor has been forceful with the message that the state should put a pause on petcoke and coal pile permits. The piles blighting the southeast side of Chicago do indeed imply a deeper threat for communities across Illinois; and Governor Quinn is right to take emergency action.

“But, the Governor’s strong leadership and thoughtful response to the problem are not reflected in today’s rule. It is a reasonable first step, but short of the moratorium implied in his statements. More action is needed from the administration if they are going to match their stated goal to put a halt to this activity.”

For a deeper evaluation of the situation, see NRDC Senior Attorney Ann Alexander’s blog post at http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/aalexander/time_to_heed_governor_quinns_c_1.html