Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced plans on Saturday to redevelop the sites of a pair of coal plants shuttered in last month, citing potential light-industrial, residential, commercial or retail uses for the two parcels.
During his 2011 campaign for the mayor's office, Emanuel vowed to order the plants upgraded or closed due to their proximity to residential neighborhoods. According to a study by the National Research Council, emissions from the plants annually resulted in $120 million in health damages to area residents. Prior to their closure, the facilities reportedly were the last of their kind to operate in a major U.S. city. Both were owned by Midwest Generation.