ILLINOIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS & DAYCARES MUST TEST WATER FOR LEAD (1/13/2017) - Illinois Legislature Passes Bill Initiated by Environmental Groups When the drinking water crisis and scandal in Flint, Michigan was exposed last winter, environmental groups in Illinois decided we needed to take action to discover potential lead water contamination problems at home. To that end, we banded together and started drafting a bill. In hindsight, the… Continue Reading
University of Illinois Votes for Coal Divestment (4/8/2016) - University of Illinois Academic Senate votes to divest from coal companies This week, the University of Illinois Academic Senate (over 200 faculty and students) voted in overwhelming support of a resolution to divest from coal companies -- shifting the University's investments to socially responsible funds. The resolutions was pushed by Student Senators and the UIUC… Continue Reading
IDOA approves factory farm over local objections (11/19/2014) - Save Our Sandy continues to fight this mega-hog operation. Despite local objections, another large hog operation has been approved for construction by the Illinois Department of Agriculture. Local Marshall County residents fear their new neighbor will pollute nearby beautiful Sandy Creek and foul the air with unbearable odors. For months Prairie Rivers Network has been… Continue Reading
LTE: Water rules not a threat to farming (9/20/2014) - Published in the News-Gazette on September 19, 2014: There seems to be much confusion regarding the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers proposed rules regarding the Clean Water Act. These rules generally referenced as Waters of the United States have been described as "the largest land grab in history" on rural radio… Continue Reading
Prairie Rivers Network Sues Army Corps of Engineers (5/23/2014) - Lawsuit seeks to halt destructive practices in Upper Mississippi River Prairie Rivers Network has joined with National Wildlife Federation and other state river groups to put an end to decades of mismanagement of the Upper Mississippi River by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Since the 1930s, the Corps has managed the Upper Mississippi… Continue Reading
Community wants full cleanup of coal ash dumps along Middle Fork River (4/28/2014) - A number of Vermilion County residents are concerned about the coal ash pits along the Middle Fork of the Vermilion River and have been working with Prairie Rivers Network to protect this beloved river. Dynegy Midwest Generation, L.L.C. is attempting to secure a closure plan with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency in which the ash… Continue Reading
Middle Fork River Advocates call on state officials to address failing toxic ash pits (3/6/2014) - For Immediate Release Thursday, March 6, 2014 MIDDLE FORK RIVER ADVOCATES CALL ON STATE OFFICIALS TO ADDRESS FAILING TOXIC ASH PITS OAKWOOD, Ill. – Illinois residents and river advocates spoke out at a press conference today to highlight ongoing deterioration at Dynegy Vermilion’s coal ash storage pits. Two of the three ash ponds at the… Continue Reading
Rocky Branch residents say NO to expanded strip mine (12/19/2013) - Prairie Rivers Network is supporting "Justice for Rocky Branch," a strong group of residents fighting back against Peabody Energy’s plan to grow their strip mine in Saline County into the Rocky Branch community, near the Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois. This mine would destroy over 1,000 more acres in an area already riddled with… Continue Reading
Art Shows to Benefit Prairie Rivers Network (11/11/2013) - Two exciting art shows and sales will benefit Prairie Rivers Network in November and December. As part of the Art @ the Y series, painter Kim Curtis will showcase works from her series Thirtyseven, which documents the fascinating wetland area along the San Francisco Bay area’s highway 37. View these paintings and other works on her… Continue Reading
Annual Dinner 2013 Roundup (10/22/2013) - The Prairie Rivers Network staff and board of directors had a wonderful evening visiting with 300 members and friends at our Annual Dinner on October 11th. Pictures from the Annual Dinner View more, full size photos at our Flickr site… Congratulations to our 2013 River Steward and Outstanding Public Servant Kevin Cummings received the… Continue Reading