ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - Missouri and Illinois find themselves near the upper end of a new list: the “Most Toxic States in America.”

This is the second annual report released by the Natural Resources Defense Council.

But John Walk with the NRDC says there’s at least been some improvement since their first study came out.

“What this means is, in a marketplace where responsible parties respond to clear signals, the new EPA clean air standards are already being responded to as a matter of choice by more progressive utilities,” Walk said.

Missouri and Illinois are ranked 15th and 16th respectively on the list of “Most Toxic States.”