The buildings at the Kennekuk County Park office in Vermilion County are joining the clean energy future. With funds created by the Middle Fork coal ash settlement, the Kennekuk County Park was able to build three solar arrays, two EV charging stations, and an electric battery system.
The solar arrays power three buildings at the park: a 13.6 kW array for the Administration building, a 7.6kW array for the Education Center, and a 6kW array for the Laury Barn, which also installed a backup battery system for their water pump (in place of a loud, noisy, and polluting diesel generator). The EV charging stations are located at the administration building and the education center. These clean energy resources will reduce the operation cost and carbon footprint of the park, through which the Middle Fork flows for much of its 17-mile National Scenic River designated segment.
While beneficial projects like these are a good outcome of settlements, the biggest victory in the Middle Fork settlement is Dynegy’s commitment to move the coal ash away from the banks of the river. We’re on a path to complete removal of the coal ash from the banks of the Middle Fork… the only question is how long that will take. Unfortunately, progress has been slow. The plan to approve the coal ash removal is being held up at Illinois EPA, while Dynegy slows down the process with a legal challenge to an issue that is irrelevant if the coal ash is removed.
Prairie Rivers Network has long fought for complete removal of the coal ash from the Middle Fork of the Vermilion River, and will continue to push to move the removal plan through the regulatory process in a timely yet protective manner.
