Rivers are Not Dumping Grounds Animal waste does not belong in our water. Polluters must be held responsible for their pollution. It is plain and simple. Large scale animal feeding operations are called Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs), and they have the potential to pollute nearby waterways. Factory farms are designed to produce meat, eggs, […]
Agricultural Runoff & Nutrient Pollution
Farmers are Partners in Protecting Water Quality Illinois is one of the top national producers of corn, soybeans, and swine, with approximately 75% of the state’s land area dedicated to agriculture. The economic contributions of agriculture are undeniably important. However, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency found that pollution from crop production impairs approximately 20% of […]
Coal Ash
Making Polluters Pay Behind Illinois’ coal-fired power plants lies a dirty secret: coal ash, the solid byproduct that is left over after coal is burned for electricity. Coal ash is full of heavy metals like mercury, arsenic, selenium, chromium, and cadmium, which can cause cancer and brain damage in humans and are harmful to fish […]
Coal Mining
Problem: Big Coal is a Threat to Our Land, Water, and Communities Despite Illinois’ big, recent climate wins, our state still has a strong relationship with coal. In communities across Illinois, active and unreclaimed coal mines still leak toxic pollution into rivers and groundwater and threaten the health and safety of communities. Even today, Illinois […]
Clean Water Laws
Clean Water is an Essential Basic Need In the 1970s, America passed landmark legislation demonstrating our commitment to healthy rivers and safe drinking water. Since then, the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act have allowed us to make remarkable progress in cleaning up our waters and improving the safety of our drinking […]
