Your voice is being heard. THANK YOU to everyone who has been attending meetings to protect the Mahomet Aquifer from toxic pollution, including hazardous wastes dumped at the Clinton Landfill.
Peoria AREA Disposal, owner of the Clinton Landfill, already has a permit to accept MGP (manufactured gas plant) waste, and has applied for a permit to accept PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls). Clinton Landfill is located above the Mahomet Aquifer, so these toxic wastes could contaminate the main drinking water source of Central Illinois. For a good overview of the Clinton Landfill saga, please see this timeline and story by the News-Gazette (PDF).
Governor Quinn has heard your voice. He recently urged the Illinois EPA to deny the PCB permit for Peoria AREA Disposal.
Other groups are also taking action to protect Central Illinois’ most important source of drinking water. On July 12, the City of Champaign held a Mahomet Aquifer Summit. In May, U.S. EPA held public hearings and a comment period considering the designation of the Mahomet Aquifer as a sole-source aquifer. Sole-source designation will provide more protection from federally-funded projects that could contaminate the aquifer, but will not affect the PCB or MGP projects of the Clinton Landfill as these are not federally-funded.
Champaign County Health Care Consumers is calling for a boycott of AREA Disposal. You can also take action with the Mahomet Aquifer Protection Alliance and the Mahomet Aquifer Consortium. Thank you for your concern for Central Illinois’ water!
