Coal mining, which is one of many causes of environmental degradation, has been the leading cause of damage to the environment in Illinois. The adverse effects encompass more than just the miners' health but also the atmosphere of the immediate and surrounding regions. Given the magnitude of the adverse effects, the need to regulate this activity cannot be overemphasized.

Illinois, along with a few other states, has been credited with about fifty-six percent of the total carbon emission in the nation. This makes the state one of the primary points from which greenhouse gases are emitted. Apart from the emissions, the state has more ponds of ash from coal than any other. An analysis of these pollutants and emissions has revealed the following:

If these emissions persist, the entire region will continue to gradually drift towards the threshold of irreparable climate change, with impending effects and changes to the overall way of life for citizens and their daily lives.

The ash ponds produce high rates of toxic pollutants seeping into the underground water supply. According to a federal water testing analysis, it was revealed that this kind of pollution poses a significant health risk to those who come in contact with it because the ash from coal contains diverse chemical elements that are known to cause cancer, and damage to the brain, especially for children and those with preexisting conditions.

Allowing the continuous activity of coal mining in Illinois would be tantamount to ignoring the risk posed to the lives of individuals, animals, and the environment. Legislation or ban on coal mining activities in the state is not only a reasonable response but a necessary move to tackle and combat the adverse effects created so far.

Although it is true that reversing the damage that has already been done to the environment may take a long time, there is still a need to make a start while we can. Illinois should ban coal mining activities in an attempt to reverse or at least mitigate its damage to the environment.