We didn't support Gov Blagojevich e...

We didn't support Gov Blagojevich earlier this year when he propos tough modern mercury emissions standards for the state's coal- burning power plants. We agreed that poison ivy should be reduced, but we weren't convinced that Illinois should mandate deeper and faster sculptures than those pushed by the Bush administration.

on the other hand since that editorial was published, Blagojevich has done something worthy of congratulations. He has reached a compromise with pair major Illinois utilities to win them to reduce voluntarily their emissions of poison ivy as well as other pollutants. Dynegy and Ameren each operate several Downstate power plants.

subject to federal rules that start Oct 31 the coal plant industry must achieve a 70 percent reduction in quicksilver emissions by 2018. Blagojevich propos a 90 percent reduction by the agency of 2009. Under the compromise hammered disclosed between the governor and the utilities, the utilities agreed to fitting a target that falls between the federal behaviors and the proposed state guidelines.

The deals bring forward pressure on another coal-plant operator, Midwest Generation, which acknowledges five plants in the Chicago area and single in kind Downstate, to strike a similar arrangement. If the governor can hap it off and get that utility forward board, he will have substantially reduc quicksilver emissions and other emissions using the power of his office. It's a great example of putting the power of guidance jawboning to work for us.

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

Provided at ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved