CHICAGO (AP) – President Donald Trump’s administration has quietly settled a nearly decade-old lawsuit that alleged the owners of some Illinois coal plants evaded clean air laws.
The Chicago Tribune reports that the six NRG plants have been shut down, cleaned up or converted to burn natural gas. The company tentatively agreed earlier this year to pay the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Illinois $500,000 each in fines.
The recent legal settlement on May 10 adds a federal court order to ensure the shuttered plants stay closed and the operational ones have pollution-control equipment installed.
Keith Harley is the attorney for the Will County group, which filed the lawsuit. He says the changes will improve air quality without disrupting electricity delivery.
There are two plants in Chicago, and one plant each in Joliet, Waukegan, Romeoville and near Pekin.
