As a grandfather, I am concerned about the poisonous remains of the coal that has been burned in the coal-fired power plants of Illinois. It worries me that these toxic residuals are left next to rivers and aquifers that provide drinking water for our communities. In many locations they are seeping into water systems right now. We can’t allow this threat to the health of Illinoisans to continue.

The Illinois Pollution Control Board must strengthen its standards to protect my health, my daughter’s health, and the long-term health of my grandsons who are 5 and 7. If they are being poisoned now, how will their health be when they get married? How will it be as they raise their children to adulthood? Will they have a chance to enjoy a healthy retirement? The Illinois Pollution Control Board must be made to commit to not do an ineffective job of just capping these remains in place where the heavy metals can pollute our water supplies. They must commit to doing a top-notch job of protecting everyone’s health by hauling all of the toxic materials from the vicinity of our rivers and aquifers and entombing it in dry stable locations where it won’t threaten our health. My grandsons and your grandchildren deserve this protection. Please go to sc.org/coal-ash to sign the petition for strong coal ash protections for Illinois.

Bob Jorgensen, East Peoria