That’s a question that Amanda Pankau, PRN’s Director of Energy and Community Resiliency, asked the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency during the public hearing for the long overdue air permit for the Prairie State Coal Plant. The Illinois EPA is required to respond to that question, along with the many other comments, concerns, and suggestions raised by dozens of PRN members, colleagues, and partners who showed up at three public hearings in early February. Together we made it clear: Coal is not clean. It harms our lungs and hearts, our land and water, and our air and climate. We demanded that an air permit finally be issued for the Prairie State Coal Plant with the strongest pollution controls possible. Thank you to those of you who raised your voices or joined us in solidarity at those hearings!
It’s not too late to help hold Illinois’ largest air polluter accountable. You can still submit written comments to the Illinois EPA and demand that the Prairie State Coal Plant finally receive a strong and protective air permit, and it only takes a few minutes!
Here’s how to make sure your comment gets to the Illinois EPA:
- Comments are due Monday, March 9, 2026, 11:59pm CST, so submit your comment today!
- Subject line should include: “Prairie State Generating Company, LLC”
- Email your comment to: EPA.PublicHearingCom@Illinois.gov
- Your comment can be as simple as: “I live in Illinois and I am concerned about the health, environmental, and climate harming air pollution of the Prairie State Coal Plant. The Illinois EPA must issue a strong air permit that requires the most protective air pollution limits and the most effective pollution control equipment.”
- For a more detailed comment that includes key language about the plant’s pollution and its impacts, use our fact sheet and webpage to find additional information.
Technical air pollution experts will be submitting detailed comments on the air permit, but it’s important for the Illinois EPA to hear from the public too. Don’t be afraid to tell them why you care about clean air and climate change!
Submitting a comment is a way to show the Illinois EPA and state leaders that Illinois communities are paying attention, that we care about clean air and climate progress, and that we expect our laws to be upheld. This isn’t the first time, and it won’t be the last, that the public needs to make their voices heard about the Prairie State Coal Plant.
This is our moment to demand stronger protections and real accountability from Illinois’ biggest polluter. Together we can speak up to protect our community and state!
