Published in the News-Gazette on November 14, 2010
If fish were people, we would still be mourning the mysterious death of tens of thousands of our fellow citizens. We wouldn’t just be talking about it in the break room. We would be making phone calls and demanding the perpetrator be caught. We would declare the incident an atrocity that should never happen again.
But fish aren’t people. And the 40,000 fish that died north of Mahomet over Labor Day weekend seem to have lost our attention. Out of sight is out of mind. Few of us actually saw their pale bodies floating in the remote waters of Lone Tree Creek and the Sangamon River. Thus, we are neither haunted nor motivated by the memory of what we experienced directly. And we have not been reminded by the media, which has been quiet since the initial story broke. The fact that the government investigation continues may be a sign that the culprit will not be caught. Yet the fish still have a story to tell. {Continue Reading »}
The Department of Natural Resources is now confirming that approximately 40,000 fish were killed in sections of Lone Tree Creek and the Sangamon River as a result of pollution released into the waters over the Labor Day weekend. Also killed were endangered mudpuppies, mussels and crayfish. A full investigation is still underway.
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency reported water samples taken from the affected streams contained ammonia. While the agency has not yet revealed the source of the spill, the pollution likely drained off a field located on the Stone Ridge Dairy Farm in McLean County. Constructed in 2002, Stone Ridge is Illinois’ largest dairy farm, with 3,100 cows.
“This total kill is an unfortunate example of why we need more protective, clear laws in Illinois regarding managing waste from large factory farms,” said Glynnis Collins, executive director of Prairie Rivers Network (PRN). “From a single spill, the people of Illinois have lost tens of thousands of fish and other aquatic animals. We will be communicating closely with state agencies as the investigation progresses to ensure they respond adequately to this disaster.” {Continue Reading »}
Yesterday, a major new study was released that identifies 39 additional coal-ash dump sites in 21 states that are contaminating drinking water or surface water with arsenic and other heavy metals. Three of those sites are in Illinois. The report by the Environmental Integrity Project (EIP), Earthjustice and the Sierra Club, with help from Prairie Rivers Network’s Traci Barkley, documents the fact that state governments are not adequately monitoring the coal combustion waste (CCW) disposal sites and that the USEPA needs to enact strong new regulations to protect the public.
The report shows that, at every one of the coal ash dump sites equipped with groundwater monitoring wells, concentrations of heavy metals such as arsenic or lead exceed federal health-based standards for drinking water, with concentrations at the Venice, IL site reaching as high as 38 times the federal standard for arsenic 400 feet beyond the ash ponds.
Take Action – Let Your Voice Be Heard
The US Environmental Protection Agency is about to launch a series of regional hearings on whether and how to regulate toxic coal ash waste from coal-fired power plants. PLEASE ATTEND IF YOU CAN.
Chicago, IL on September 16
Louisville, KY on September 28
Financial assitance is available to defray some travel costs. Contact Traci Barkley at 217/344-2371 or tbarkley@prairierivers.org.
Recent articles by the press report concerns and impacts to land and water of the proposed coal mine by the Indiana-based Sunrise Coal LLC continues. The new mine in East Central Illinois would require mineral rights leases with landowners in Champaign and Vermilion counties.
The articles in The News-Gazette and C-N quote Prairie Rivers Networks’ Water Resources Scientist, Traci Barkely, and Board of Director Charles Goodall, also a Vermilion county farmer.
Laura Kammin, PRN’s Habitat conservation Specialist, was interviewd on GLT as a result of our press release about how Prairie Rivers Network and other conservation groups reject the barge industry-promoted proposal that will increase the taxpayer burden for constructing barge transportation network.
More press is covering the new Big Price – Little Benefitreport released by Prairie Rivers Network and partners condemning proposed expansion locks along the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers.
Read press coverage from the Daily-Journal.com by seraching on “Prairie Rivers Network.”
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Published in the News-Gazette on November 14, 2010
