Illlinois residents crowd in to share environmental concerns with EPA
Illlinois residents crowd in to share environmental concerns with EPA and other officials.

The people of Illinois need your help! Please take a minute to sign our VERY important petition by Friday, July 16th at noon to make sure the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) hears from the many Illinois residents whose waters are threatened by toxic coal ash waste.

If you are in northern Illinois, sign the petition to bring a hearing to Chicago.

If you are in southern Illinois, sign the petition to bring a hearing to Louisville, Kentucky.

Toxic ash left over from burning coal contaminates our rivers and drinking water with cancer causing carcinogens. Illinois has more contaminated sites from the improper disposal of coal ash than any other state. After decades of fighting to get this waste regulated as the hazardous material it is, we are now close to a resolution.

The USEPA has issued two possible alternatives for dealing with this ash. One alternative will allow states to escape further regulation and continue with business as usual. The second alternative will require states to take coal ash waste seriously.

Do not underestimate the power of hearings: the USEPA and other decision-makers must hear the real-life stories of people with contaminated water. Do not underestimate the power of petitions and letters to determine the hearing location!

If you ever feel like a disempowered voter who cannot affect change,
Prairie Rivers Network would like to assure you that
your action right now will make a difference.

For more information about Prairie Rivers Network’s work to prevent water contamination from the coal industry, please click here.