Drummer Creek, Ford County

PRN staff testified on March 16th, 2009 at a public hearing for the One Earth Energy ethanol plant in Gibson City, Illinois. Our comments requested that the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) issue a water permit that is truly protective of the diverse and sensitive species found in Drummer Creek. In particular, we asked IEPA to ensure that the waste discharged from the plant be cooled enough to protect native fish and the threatened and endangered mussels found in Drummer Creek. We also insisted that the Agency require additional testing of the wastewater to guarantee that chemical additives and other pollutants generated in the plant are not toxic to life in the stream.

IEPA is accepting written comments on One Earth Energy’s water permit until March 30th 2009. PRN is working on those comments now and will be posting the letter on our website. If you have any questions, please write Kim Knowles at kknowles@prairirerivers.org.

Update 4/8/09: To read PRN’s comments on One Earth Energy’s water permit click here.