For nearly two decades, PRN has worked to prevent the pollution and degradation of Illinois’ rivers. Water Resources Scientist, Traci Barkley, and Water Resources Specialist, Kim Knowles, review permit applications for wastewater discharges from municipal, mining and industrial practices that have the potential to harm Illinois waterways.

Here is an update on some of their latest work:

Challenged dam proposal for Sangamon County

Summary: A new dam has been proposed for Horse Creek in Sangamon County that will bury over 100 acres of wetlands, 80 acres of streams and more than 1,500 acres of forest. Proponents claim Hunter Dam is needed to create a backup water supply for the City of Springfield, but we believe there are more sustainable and less environmentally harmful ways of ensuring an adequate water supply. {Continue Reading »}

Drummer Creek, Ford County

PRN staff testified on March 16^th, 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 30^th 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.

Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) is proposing to permit One Earth Energy, a new ethanol plant, to discharge wastewater into Drummer Creek, a biologically significant stream in Ford County. A public hearing will be held on March 16th in Gibson City.

Attend the hearing. Protect clean water.

This permit does not ensure that the water quality of the receiving stream, Drummer Creek, will not degrade further as a result of One Earth Energy’s proposed discharges.

IEPA One Earth Engergy NPDES Public Hearing Notice (pdf)

PRN One Earth Energy Public Hearing Informational flyer (pdf)

For years, ethanol has been touted as a “cleaner fuel alternative” with little discussion regarding growing environmental concerns related to increased acreage production, questionable comparable fuel efficiency, production impacts to air and water and a major change in infrastructure. While there are no easy answers to the ethanol dilemma, Prairie Rivers Network is focusing on the many issues that need to be addressed regarding the process by which the ethanol production industry is permitted to use and discharge water in the State of Illinois.

For more detailed information, visit our Ethanol page.