Join in the excitement of the Illinois Marathon!

Prairie Rivers Network is hosting a water station at mile 23 of the Illinois marathon.

We’re looking for volunteers to join staff and members of our board of directors in handing out water and cheering the marathoners on to the finish line.

If you can commit to joining us from 8:15 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 28th, please sign up here. Select “Prairie Rivers Network” from the drop down list and enter the password “prn2012″.

You will receive our Run for Your Rivers tech running shirt.

Our charity running/walking team has raised $5,150 for clean water and healthy rivers. Help cheer them on to the finish line.

If you’ve ever thought about participating in one of the Illinois Marathon races (5K, 10K, half or full marathon, or 5K walk), 2012 is your year!

Prairie Rivers Network is fielding a charity running team. Just sign up through our website and raise money on behalf of Illinois’ rivers and streams.

Whatever your level, there is a race for you. Ask a friend to join you in your race and help protect clean water while having fun at the same time.

Benefits of Running for Prairie Rivers Network

• Supporting a cause you believe in – donations that you bring in from the friends, family, and co-workers that sponsor you will go directly to supporting our Clean Water Act enforcement work
• Guaranteed lowest race registration fee when you register here
• Team Tech T-shirt and Prairie Rivers Network hat
• Rain barrel awarded to biggest fundraiser

We need your help.
Sign Up TODAY and run for your rivers!

Ask Illinois EPA and Dynegy’s Havana Power Plant for responsible coal ash disposal and closure of high hazard ash ponds.

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has tentatively decided to reissue a permit to Dynegy’s Havana Power Plant that would allow additional mercury and other harmful pollution found in coal ash to be discharged into the Illinois River. Dynegy wants to continue dumping its coal ash in a 96-acre wet impoundment that is upland of the town of Havana, instead of converting to a safer dry landfill as other Illinois power plants have done.

The Havana coal ash pond is larger than the ash impoundment that failed in 2008 at the TVA’s Kingston Fossil Plant sending over 1 billion gallons of coal ash slurry into the Clinch and Emory Rivers.

If you are concerned about water pollution, healthy fish, and threats to public health and safety, please attend the Public Hearing:

Tuesday November 8, 2011 6 p.m.

Occasions Banquet Facility, 301 West Main Street, Havana, Illinois

Tell Illinois EPA and Dynegy:

• Thank you for new air pollution control equipment ‐ we don’t want to breathe dirty air!
• Now, take that pollution and dispose of it responsibly. No coal ash toxins in our river!
• We use and enjoy the river where water from the coal ash ponds is being dumped. We eat the fish, we draw our income from the river, we recreate on the river. Keep our Illinois River clean!
• Invest your earnings in pollution control. Build a safe, lined landfill.
• We live downhill from the ash pond storing nearly 1 billion gallons of hazardous coal ash.
• We are threatened by the coal ash pond ‐ inspect it, fix it, then close it down!

View flyer for more information.

If you cannot attend the hearing, please email your comments urging the closure of the Havana ash pond to IEPA Hearing Officer Dean Studer at <Dean.Studer@illinois.gov> and specify Havana Power Station NPDES in subject line by midnight, December 8, 2011. Comments postmarked by December 8th, 2011 may be sent to:

Hearing Officer Dean Studer
Re: Havana Power Station NPDES
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
1021 North Grand Avenue East
P. O. Box 19276
Springfield, IL 62794-9276

Voice your support for stronger rules on air pollution from power plants

After years of delays and court orders the EPA is making a strong stand for public health and wildlife, proposing new rules that would require large polluters to stop emitting mercury, arsenic, dioxins, and other air toxics from their smokestacks.

Many of these pollutants, especially mercury, end up in rivers and lakes where they pollute water and build up in fish and other animals. In Illinois, the state advises people to not eat too much of several types of locally-caught fish because of harmful amounts of mercury in them.

EPA’s proposed rule will reduce releases of mercury to the air by 91%. Now, it is up to us to demonstrate powerful public demand over the next few months to keep the rule strong against industry attacks. EPA is accepting public comments now and will finalize their rule by November 2011. {Continue Reading »}

Citizens from all over the Midwest will be gathering on September 16th in Chicago to show their support for federal regulations of coal ash waste that will protect our drinking water.

Date: September 16, 2010

Time: 10 am to 12 pm, 1 pm to 5 pm, 6:30 pm to 9 pm

Where: Hilton Chicago, 720 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago

Pre-Register: http://www.epa.gov/wastes/nonhaz/industrial/special/fossil/ccr-rule/ccr-form.htm

Please contact Traci Barkley (tbarkley@prairierivers.org, 217/344-2371) to coordiante carpooling to public hearing.

Thank you to all of our members who signed our petition to get the hearing in Chicago.
Your voice was heard.

SAVE THE DATE!

When: Monday, August 30th, 5:30 – 8:00 pm

Where: The Field Museum in Chicago – Simpson Theater. (entry through West door)

What: The Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Chicago Wilderness, City of Chicago Dept. of Environment, Openlands, and the Field Museum invite you to:

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD AT A FORUM on Parks, Open Space and Nature.

Young people are particularly encouraged to come and share their views.

TALK TO Federal environmental officials from: White House Council on Environmental Quality, U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture

Hear success stories from this region, and give Federal officials your ideas on open space recreation, conservation, biodiversity, and ways to link people (especially youth and children) from urban, suburban and rural settings with nature and the outdoors. What’s working, what tools and resources would increase success, what are the barriers and obstacles, and what role can the federal government play?

There is no cost for this event. (Please note – it does not include a reception – please arrive by 5:30)