For nearly 100 years, discharges from two of Edison International’s coal plants have polluted the air over the city of Chicago, exposing area families to dangerous levels of chemicals while adding to the Earth’s greenhouse gases. But the people fought back and won, because the city has quit using coal.

For more than 10 years, Chicago residents have been demanding their right to clean air and a safe climate. Now, the Fisk coal plant, in Pilsen, and the Crawford operation, in Little Village, will shut down in 2012 and 2014, respectively.

Clean air activists in Ohio and Pennsylvania recently claimed similar victories. Utility provider GenOn will close seven coal plants in the two states, including one in Portland, Pennsylvania, which has been deemed responsible for more than
500 asthma attacks and 54 heart attacks.

“These victories are not only for the people of Chicago, Ohio and Pennsylvania, but for local activists all over the country that are working to shut down dirty coal plants in their communities,” says Kelly Mitchell, of Greenpeace, in celebratingthe an nouncement.