Tracy Fox gives comments at the Edwards coal plant public session about coal ash ponds closure given by Illinois Power Resources Generating LLC staff, October 13th in Peoria.

Much Frustration with Illinois Power Resources Generating LLC Corporate Staff Presentation

By Joyce Blumenshine

Thirty-seven members of the public listened and asked questions of representatives from Illinois Power Resources Generating LLC, an affiliate of Vistra subsidiary Luminant, at the Pere Marquette Hotel, October 13th, during an evening session with poor microphone quality and responses from the corporation representatives that failed to satisfy local concerns. The meeting was to discuss the timeline, site activities, data collection, and additional measures to be taken with respect to evaluating closure of the coal ash impoundments at the site. The site has a 90 acre unlined coal combustion residuals (CCR) pond that is in Illinois River floodplain soils and an area with a high groundwater table.

Local concerns include that the toxic laden ash is in contact with the groundwater and that the ash should be removed to a state-of-the-art landfill with protective liners and monitoring, located away from the Ilinois River. Corporation annual reports on coal ash dust, water monitoring, and other environmental issues are available to the public. These reports and the October 13th session were the result of Sierra Club litigation regarding proven groundwater contamination at Edwards and several other Illinois Power Resources Generating LLC coal plant sites.