Air Pollution is not a new thing and has been a continous issues in the daily lives of many
The Little Village Lawndale community has been impacted by major pollutants released by a coal burning power plant located on Pulaski and 35th. For years it has been releasing hazardous toxins into our air and our waters such as sodium dioxide (SO2) and nitrous oxide (NO). According to a 2010 Clean Air Task Force report,pollution from the coal burning plant has been responsible for an estimated 42 deaths,66 heart attacks,and 720 asthma attacks annually, This is only in the Little Village Lawndale community,think about all the other communities that face these same issues. The number in respiratory issues continues to rise in alarming numbers as well. Many power plants in the Chicago area are found in low income communities. The Crawford station owned by Midwest generation a Edison International funded facility in the Little Village community has turned down or simple did not follow regulations that limit the amount of pollution it makes in the Little Village Lawndale community. Several members of community have attended town meeting to discuss the issue with state representatives in seeking justice for there people yet the Crawford power plant and many like it continue to say no.In the 1970's a Clean Air was passed which limited the amount of pollution a power plant can emit into the environment. Power plants began to invest in the changes for this Clean Air Act yet the the Crawford station questioned the Clean Air Act saying that they would soon close down and that the foundation was old and worn out and it would be a waste of money to put money into changing things up. So in 1977 Crawford was still polluting the environment the same as it had been for decades before,Crawford said they were close to shutting down it is now 2012 and they have barely announced that they will be shutting down in 2014. So just another two years of hazardous toxins to be released into the Little Village Lawndale community and then we may actually see the day they shut down.