Coffeen Power Station in Montgomery County, south of Springfield, is one of the five power plants obtained by Dynegy subsidiary Illinois Power Holdings earlier this month. Photo courtesy of Dynegy One of Illinois’ largest energy companies has given away five power plants, following a decision by state regulators to give the new owners a temporary […]
Sierra Club
Posted inNews
Shell game
A Texas-based energy company wants to take over several coal plants in Illinois, but environmental groups claim the company is planning to skip pollution controls and use a shell company to avoid taking on any risk. Dynegy Inc. of Houston, Texas, is planning to acquire five coal plants in central and southern Illinois from Ameren […]
Posted inNews
Subsidizing coal costs Illinois budget $20 million
Coal companies have extracted about $3 billion worth of coal from Illinois so far this year. So why is the state of Illinois giving them subsidies? That’s the question asked by an alliance of environmental groups in a report released June 27. Titled “The Impact of Coal on the Illinois State Budget,” the report says […]
Posted inNews
Coal ash lawsuit could increase CWLP costs
An Illinois environmental group is one of 11 plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit seeking a new evaluation of coal ash – a controversial byproduct of coal energy that they say should be considered a hazardous waste. If the lawsuit prevails, it could significantly increase costs for Springfield City Water, Light and Power. Champaign-based Prairie Rivers […]
Posted inNews
Coal gasification plant approved by Senate
The Illinois Senate recently approved a controversial proposal to build a cutting-edge coal power plant in Taylorville, paving the way for what proponents say should be an easy victory in the Illinois House. But critics say the project is unnecessary and puts the cost and risk on taxpayers. The proposed Taylorville Energy Center would create […]
Posted inNews
The dirty business of CLEAN COAL
Take a drive this time of year down any state highway and you’ll likely see chipboard signs promoting this guy for sheriff and that guy for Senate. This much is true when traveling down Route 48. But along this road, which slices through the heart of Christian County, you’ll also see a slick metal sign, […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Interurban celebration
Celebrate the future of biking in Springfield at the re-opening of the Interurban bike trail this Sunday, October 25, 1:00 PM at MacArthur Tunnel. For those of us involved with the MacArthur Boulevard Business Association there is little better news we could hope for than a completion of this project – and the successful reopening […]
Posted inOpinion
Town meeting aims for green consensus
Since the Green Movement began to kick into high gear about three years ago, we are becoming aware of the importance of protecting the earth’s fragile ecosystem. Mayor Tim Davlin has pointed with pride to Springfield being rated fourth in the country among medium cities in the National Resources Defense Council’s Smarter Cities project. Cited […]
