Robert Moore, Executive Director
Prairie Rivers Network
Phone: (217) 344-2371
Fax: (217) 344-2381

PRESS CONFERENCE

EMBARGOED UNTIL MAY 10TH

GOVERNOR ASKED TO STOP SUBSIDIZING WATER POLLUTION BY COAL INDUSTRY

Springfield—May 10, 2001:  Prairie Rivers Network is calling on Governor Ryan to stop giving taxpayer dollars to coal companies, particularly when coal mines threaten water quality and place high quality streams at risk.

Over 1,000 miles of Illinois streams are currently polluted by coal companies in Illinois.  Despite the devastating environmental impacts of coal mining and the costly cleanup—which taxpayers will pay for—Governor Ryan continues to subsidize coal mines. Last year the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs (DCCA) handed out $11.6 million to coal companies, often to mines that caused severe levels of water pollution.

"Subsidizing the coal industry is bad enough, but it’s even worse when coal mines are exempt from water pollution regulations," said Robert Moore, Executive Director of Prairie Rivers Network.  He says it’s not a mystery why more than 1,000 miles of Illinois streams are impacted by coal mines.  Coal mines are exempt from meeting the Clean Water Act in Illinois.

Numerous bills are moving through the General Assembly that encourage the use of Illinois coal and further subsidize coal mines.  If signed into law, they could increase the risk to Illinois’ streams.

A new mine in Vermilion County illustrates the problems caused by subsidizing coal companies. Black Beauty Coal received $700,000 from Governor Ryan to operate mines in Vermilion County.  Black Beauty is owned by Peabody Coal Company, the world’s largest coal producer.

Black Beauty Coal Co. is now building a new mine on the Little Vermilion River, one of the state’s most outstanding streams.  The mine is near an Illinois Nature Preserve and the water supply for the communities of Georgetown and Olivet.  Three state protected species—the Bigeye Shiner, the Little Spectaclecase Mussel, and the Slippershell Mussel—are known to exist in the area.

Illinois EPA and Illinois DNR both issued permits to build and operate the mine in December of last year.  Within weeks of beginning construction Black Beauty Coal Company had thirteen violations of its water pollution permit. Because Illinois EPA did not take corrective action, Prairie Rivers Network has been forced to take matters into its own hands and are preparing to file a federal lawsuit.

"It’s not right that Illinois citizens have to enforce our environmental laws, while tax dollars are used to subsidize pollution by coal companies," said Moore.

Prairie Rivers maintains that the increased subsidies and incentives for coal mining will lead to more cases like the one on the Little Vermilion River.

"You’re going to see a lot of high quality streams affected by coal mines," said Moore.

Coal mines are not required to meet water quality standards in Illinois—the standards established to protect our water resources and make sure they are safe for drinking, swimming, and fishing.  Furthermore, the coal industry is not required to review a mine’s impacts to water quality and populations of fish and mussels, like every other industry in the state must.  Prairie Rivers has been pushing Illinois EPA to close this loophole.

Unless Governor Ryan directs Illinois EPA to properly regulate coal companies—and stops giving taxpayer dollars away to mines that
pollute—problems will continue.

"It’s a bad situation," stated Moore.  "The Governor’s handing out millions to an industry that’s exempt from water quality regulations. We want this practice to stop."

Last week Illinois EPA notified the public that it would issue permits to two mines in Southern Illinois that are already contributing to water quality
problems. The Knight Hawk Coal Co. and S. Coal Co. discharge mine effluent to Beaucoup Creek, Bonnie Creek and the Big Muddy River.  All of these streams are impaired by coal mine pollution and the Agency is beginning a costly clean up effort at public expense this summer.  Knight Hawk also received $154,000 from DCCA.

"The Governor has the power and the responsibility to protect our rivers and our natural resources," said Moore.  "He should direct Illinois EPA to hold coal companies accountable for the water quality problems they cause and he should stop the flow of tax dollars to coal companies that are polluting of our rivers."