The Illinois Coal Association
is the professional trade organization
responsible for the promotion of Illinois coal, a natural resource found in great abundance in Illinois. To carry out its mission, the Springfield-based Association represents the coal industry in the state in governmental affairs, in public relations and in related matters. Through the Association, companies producing coal in Illinois deal with issues affecting their interests with a single unified voice.
About Us
The Illinois Coal Association is a not-for-profit corporation - incorporated under Illinois law in 1878.
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Illinois Coal Membership
Membership in the Illinois Coal Association is comprised of two categories, Company Membership and Associate Membership:
Please visit our Join the ICA page to see more information about membership and to download an application.
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ICA Board Chairperson
Alyssa Harre is the Director of External Affairs and Organizational Strategy for the Prairie State Generating Company.
Located in Washington County, Illinois
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ICA President
Day-to-day operations of the Association are directed by a full-time president, Nick Williams, whose duties include the coordination of relations between the Illinois coal mining industry and the various state agencies regulating the industry or interacting with it in some other way.
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The annual economic impact of Illinois coal production and generation is
$4.2 billion
Illinois Coal Association members employ 3,000 Illinois residents
with an average annual salary of $80,000
According to a recent economic study, coal mines and coal-fired power plants in Illinois created over
13,000 jobs
in the state.
$244 million
Coal mines and coal-fired plants located throughout the state of Illinois serve as a major source of tax revenue, providing funding for Illinois schools and more.
Illinois coal sold in state is already subject to a 6.25% sales tax. The Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition continues to push for a 6% severance tax on the gross value of coal extracted in Illinois. This added tax would accelerate shutting down the state’s baseload power supply, while simultaneously putting 13,000 Illinois residents out of work.
Illinois mines are already at a competitive disadvantage with adjacent coal-producing states like Indiana and Kentucky. A coal severance tax will force the shift of production to other states, cause Illinois mines to close, and diminish economic prosperity for downstate Illinois.
Now more than ever, Illinois needs reliable energy. This means maintaining an all of the above approach to energy policy while more intermittent sources of energy come online.
A Diverse Energy Mix
The Illinois Coal Association supports an “All of the Above” energy strategy because each electricity resource― coal, natural gas, nuclear, renewables, and storage technology ― complements each other in different ways to provide reliable and affordable electricity.
Coal Keeps the Lights On: Powering the Transition
In Illinois, the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) and PJM Interconnection are the Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs) responsible for manging supply and demand of the electric grid. Coal-fired power plants represent 55,000 MW of supply in MISO and 49,000 MW in PJM.
The coal fleet has been the foundation of the American electricity grid and continues to be an integral part of the evolving energy landscape.
With an infrastructure network that includes a complex transmission system, and access to highways, railways, and waterways, the coal fleet provides consistent, dispatchable, fuel-secure power on a 24/7 basis. It is critical to maintaining affordable electricity prices, and a reliable and resilient electricity grid.
Reliable and Affordable Electricity
More than any other fuel, coal helped build the United States into a strong and prosperous nation. Yet coal is needed now more than ever. Coal is America’s most abundant energy resource—making up 90 percent of U.S. fossil energy reserves on a Btu basis.
Reliability is all about keeping America’s lights on. A more reliable grid is one with fewer and shorter power interruptions. Coal is fuel secure and dispatchable 24/7/365. Coal is not dependent on weather or just-in-time fuel delivery. The coal fleet helps to keep electricity prices affordable. States that maintain coal as part of their fuel mix pay lower electricity prices than the national average.
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Coal is already used to generate a little more than 30 percent of the country’s electricity. One reason is that coal is the lowest priced fossil fuel for powering the utility company’s turbines that provide electricity to homes, offices, schools, stores and factories.
The coal industry contributes billions of dollars each year to the national economy. Hundreds and hundreds of communities depend on coal for their economic stability. The jobs created by coal mining lead to income for retailers, teachers, mechanics and many others.
The mining of coal has never been a more positive scenario than at present. Thanks in large part to technological advances, coal has been converted into a uniquely modern and versatile fuel – one mined through mechanization and by skilled workers and utilized in ways assuring the protection of the environment.
United States has more coal – often called nature’s black diamond – than any other fossil fuel, an estimated 250 year supply. Coal really is a natural resource in this country. Coal is located in 38 states and mined in 25.
Live Fuel Mix Statistics
Live from https://www.misoenergy.org/