In East-Central Illinois, a group of residents and farmers have been fighting to stop a proposed new coal mine for over a decade. The proposed Bulldog Mine is now one step away from having its mining permit in hand. Learn more below, sign our petition to “Stop Illinois’ Last New Coal Mine.”
TAKE ACTION – Sign Our Petition to Stop Illinois’ Last New Coal Mine
A New Coal Mine in 2020?
As the world battles climate change fueled floods, rising sea and lake levels, wildfires, extreme heat, and more, we are simultaneously contemplating a new coal mine in central Illinois. In addition to the clear need to reduce emissions and move away from fossil fuels, economic pressures are already causing a decline in the coal industry. A recent report from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis shared a dim outlook for coal production in the Illinois Basin, predicting the industry will be gone in 20 years. Siting “weak market conditions and an over-supply of domestic coal”, the owner of the proposed Bulldog Mine, Sunrise Coal, halted production and laid off 90 workers at their plant in Carlisle, Indiana just last month.
It’s 2020. Illinois is contemplating new energy legislation, the Clean Energy Jobs Act, that would phase out fossil fuels by 2030 and boost clean energy in Illinois. In his State of the State, Governor Pritzker called for action on clean energy this legislative session, putting climate and consumers first. Opening a new coal mine in Illinois moves in the wrong direction. Illinois cannot fight climate change and lead on clean energy if it continues to support dirty energy.
History
Nearly 10 years ago, Sunrise Coal submitted an application to the Illinois Department of Natural Resource (IDNR) Office of Mines and Minerals for a new underground coal mine in Vermilion County. Local and regional community members and farmers joined together to form Stand Up To Coal, a 100% grassroots and volunteer group. Stand Up to Coal, Prairie Rivers Network, and other advocates have been fighting the proposed Bulldog Mine ever since. Unfortunately, in April 2019, the IDNR finally granted the Coal Mine Permit, as long as it can stand up to an Administrative Review.
Many local residents are concerned about long-term harmful impacts coal mining can have on their communities: contaminating wells and groundwater, polluting air from dirty coal dust, impacting roads from heavy trucks, and contamination from toxic chemicals that can leak from above ground slurry impoundments to neighboring farmland long after mining has ceased. The Salt Fork of the Vermilion River will bear the burden of the discharges from this mine.
The last chance to stop the Bulldog mine permit is an Administrative Review – a quasi-judicial process where petitioners challenge the mining permit to see if it follows the law. The process requires legal counsel and technical experts. Many of the local residents who would be impacted by the mine, and Stand Up To Coal itself, are petitioners. The mine’s lawyers have filed to dismiss nearly all of the petitioners, including Stand Up To Coal, from participating in the review.
DONATE NOW – Directly Support the Legal and Technical Expert Fees
You can also help support the efforts to oppose the Bulldog mine by joining or donating to Stand Up to Coal, or donating to the legal and technical fund for the effort through our page.
