The Environmental Protection Agency is tightening rules that limit emissions of mercury and other harmful pollutants from coal-fired power plants.
Experts say the move will bring major health improvements to Illinois and other Midwestern states.
Andy Knott with the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign says the rule could help persuade Illinois power companies to shut down their coal plants sooner rather than later.
"We're seeing coal plants retire at record pace across the country. And this is mostly due to the economics of clean energy, and the fact that we can now move in a cost-effective manner to clean energy like wind, solar, and battery storage."
There are currently 13 coal-fired generators operating across Illinois, making up just over 20-percent of the state’s power generation.
Under a clean-energy law passed by the Illinois Legislature last year, all coal plants in the state must close by 2030.
