A big thank you to WILL-TV for broadcasting the documentary Troubled Waters: A Mississippi River Story. This one-hour program airs at 9pm on Monday, August 5. Troubled Waters tells the story of the unintended consequences of farming on the health of the Mississippi River. Fertilizers and pesticides leave farm fields during storms and make their way […]
2013 Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone the Size of Connecticut
Today, Prairie Rivers Network and other members of the Mississippi River Collaborative issued news releases about the size of the 2013 Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone. Please see our news release below and contact Stacy James (217-344-2371) if you have any questions. Connecticut-Sized 2013 Gulf “Dead Zone” Signifies the Need for Cleaner Water in Illinois CHAMPAIGN, IL […]
Rantoul Hog Sludge Poses Pollution Problem
Rantoul Foods is a hog slaughterhouse located just west of Rantoul, Illinois. They slaughter almost 4,000 hogs a day and produce about 1 million gallons of sludge annually during the processing. This sludge is causing a problem for neighbors and the environment because the sludge is being stockpiled in nearby agricultural fields. Thanks to WICD Channel 15 and The […]
Take Action – Comment on Illiana Tollway project and attend public meeting
Your input is needed on a proposed tollway project that will traverse prime farmland, and several rivers and streams to connect I-65 near Lowell, Indiana to I-55 near Wilmington, Illinois. The 47-mile project–dubbed the Illiana Corridor–poses several potential environmental impacts. An Environmental Impact Statement that was completed in 2012 revealed the project will likely result in […]
Large Factory Farm in Sensitive Karst Region Approved by IDOA
The Illinois Department of Agriculture recently approved the construction of a new hog confinement in Adams County north of Quincy. This news is disappointing and potentially life-changing for the residents who live nearby and are opposed to the confinement, which will house almost 5,000 hogs. Neighbors are concerned their quality of life will deteriorate due […]