Lawsuit says coal-fired plants violate federal law

The U.S. Justice Department and the state of Illinois filed a lawsuit Thursday against a company that runs six coal-fired power plants, claiming violations of the federal air pollution law.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Chicago, alleges that Midwest Generation made changes to its coal-fired plants in Illinois without installing required pollution control equipment.

It claims that the Chicago-based company's plants are illegally emitting large amounts of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and fine particles.

The Justice Department and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have been targeting coal plants to improve air quality and protect the public health. Emissions from the plants can cause health problems including heart attacks, breathing difficulties and premature deaths.

Midwest Generation owns two plants in Chicago, two in Will County, one outside Peoria and one in Waukegan. Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said in a statement that she is concerned about the health effects in those communities.

Company spokesman Doug McFarlan said Midwest Generation has been in talks with the federal government and is exploring a settlement. He said the company reached a deal with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency in 2006 on a tough long-range plan to cut polluting emissions.

"We believe that is an appropriate framework" for improvements at the plants, McFarlan said.

The company, which employs about 1,100 workers, is a subsidiary of Rosemead, Calif.-based Edison International. Midwest Generation acquired the plants from ComEd in 1999.

The lawsuit asks that the court order Midwest Generation to install state-of-the art technology. It's also seeking millions of dollars in penalties for the alleged violations of the federal Clean Air Act.