Well, folks, it seems the fight to phase out coal-fired electric generation is starting to work. Today, Midwest Generation announced that they will be closing their two dirty coal plants in Chicago, the Fisk coal plant in Pilsen will shut down in 2012 and the Crawford coal plant in Little Village will shut down by 2014. As if this wasn’t enough good news, GenOn has also announced that it will be retiring 8 of it’s plants, 7 coal and 1 oil.
These plants are some of the dirtiest in the nation, and are probably part of the reason I, and so many others, grew up with asthma. What’s more, their impact on the climate will shortly be eliminated and I hope that means the demand drives further renewable energy production. Below are many links where you can learn more, but a huge debt of gratitude goes out to the organizations who have been fighting these, and for those who mobilized the American public to get stronger rules at EPA. In particular, the communities of Pilsen and Little Village have been dealing with the health effects of Fisk and Crawford and have been fighting for their closure for some time.
Here’s more: P.E.R.R.O, Washington Post, Greenpeace , Sierra Club, Chicago CBS, Chicago Sun Times, Reuters, Pittsburgh Post Gazette
Good deal. It’s hard for the people affected by the closing of this plant, but the greater good is served by the closing of this plant. I’m sure the green industry has more than enough employment opportunities to absorb the employees from this plant and then some.
Juan Miguel Ruiz
GreenJoyment
I’m so glad to hear electricity will be less reliable and more expensive. Wind and solar will work great as long as we don’t need electricity 24/7. If we can get by with electricity for only a couple hours a day, then this is awesome news!
Thanks for making me unemployed!
solar is not that good as you al thingk.
the build it on fields where are living small animals that eat the gras.
when the sun dont reach the ground there wil grow nothing so the animals cant eat.