New federal rules designed to cut greenhouse gas emissions from power plants have coal advocates speaking out.
A bi-partisan group of lawmakers Wednesday talked about the need for Illinois to have time to digest the 2,000-page Clean Power Plan.
Democratic State Representative John Bradley of Marion.
"Our understanding is that the federal government's been working on this issue for six years and we need ample time to respond appropriately to make sure that Illinois coal resources are protected and utilized effectively."
State Senator Gary Forby of Benton says this is another potential blow to southern Illinois, which he says is already under attack by republican Governor Bruce Rauner.
"We got prisons shutting down; we got prisons last year shutting down. We got juvenile detention centers shutting down, two juvenile (detention centers). Now, we're talking about shutting down my shooting range. So, what else can you come to my district and do?"
The coal industry filed a lawsuit Monday against the administration's new Clean Power Plan, which would require a 32 percent cut in carbon emissions from 2005 levels in the next 15 years.
Coal accounted for 43 percent of electricity in Illinois in 2013, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, second only to the 48 percent produced by nuclear plants. Renewable energy accounted for about 5 percent.
