LaSalle County’s First Step in the Right Direction on Frac Sand Mining

Seven Month Moratorium on Surface Mining in Place

Last Thursday afternoon, the LaSalle County Board unanimously passed a 7-month moratorium on surface mining – including silica sand mining – while the county revises its outdated Comprehensive Development Plan, an important document that guides land-use decisions in the area.

The moratorium only applies to new surface mining activities in unincorporated areas of LaSalle County. In other words, existing mines such as the highly controversial Mississippi Sand mine bordering Starved Rock State Park are exempt from this resolution. Furthermore, the moratorium does not apply to mines that may be approved by local city governments, whose jurisdiction supersedes the county’s ruling. Though not perfect, the moratorium will give the county a chance to breathe as it develops plans to better protect the people, land, and water from mining impacts.

The Sierra Club is thrilled with the moratorium’s passing – it is a huge first step in the right direction. From here, zoning director Mike Harsted announced the county plans to hold additional development committee meetings and provide public forums to give opportunities for citizen comments. Sierra Club plans to participate in these meetings with special focus on the environmental and health-related impacts of sand mining.

Changing Course: Revitalizing the Chicago River

 Photo credit: Lisa Janes

Last Wednesday, a group of over 100 environmentalists, architects, outdoor enthusiasts, students, and citizens came out to hear the Healthy Water Solutions Coalition, Studio Gang Architects, the Great Lakes Commission and Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative discuss a revolutionary way to revitalize the Chicago River—by restoring the natural divide between the Mississippi River and Great Lakes basins.  This monumental undertaking would bring incredible benefits not just to Chicago, but also to the Midwest region as a whole. With separation we would have the opportunity to tackle at long last multiple problems stemming from our aging infrastructure—issues such as invasive species, flood management, and pollution. At the same time, this renovation would engage people with the River, bringing people to a cleaner and more accessible waterfront for play and industry.

 photo credit: Lisa Janes

We want to thank everyone for joining us and showing your interest in one of our city’s greatest resources. If you want to learn more, please find us at http://www.healthywatersolutions.org. A project of this magnitude doesn’t happen alone, and we will keep you updated in keeping this vision a reality!

• Sign up for our quarterly newsletter: Our project is evolving as we gather more research and hear from more citizens and stakeholders. You can sign up for more up-to-date news by emailing info@healthywatersolutions.org with “Newsletter” in the subject line.

• Get social: Like us on Facebook to find out about other events, news, and updates onseparation https://www.facebook.com/HealthyWaterSolutions

• Join the Healthy Water Solutions coalition—yes, you! We’re more than environmentalists and architects. HWS consists of interested individuals, local businesses, recreation groups, and other stakeholders. Visit our Get Involved page for access to our guiding principles, and sign on in support of our coalition! If you have the authority to sign up your organization or business, please read our resolutions and email us at info@healthywatersolutions.org

Fracking Legislation in Springfield – Where We Stand

Sierra Club is opposed to fracking.  Fracking is devastating to communities and families all over the country — polluting our air and water, and contributing to the destabilization of our climate.

That’s why the Sierra Club supports a moratorium on fracking in Illinois: we want to stop destructive drilling before it can start. Our responsibility is to ensure our representatives take the strongest possible actions to protect our families and the environment.  We stand with Representative Mell, Senator Hunter, Speaker Madigan, and other legislators who have expressed their support for a two-year timeout while we analyze the tremendous risks fracking poses for Illinois.

While we stand with all of those calling for a moratorium, we also acknowledge that, until we pass a moratorium, fracking is legal in Illinois, and may indeed already may be occurring.  HB2615 does not allow or open the door to fracking in Illinois — unfortunately that door is wide open today, and our health and environment are at great risk.  Our pre-World War II Oil and Gas Act is entirely inadequate to protect us from fracking’s many threats, and our Department of Natural Resources has none of the resources needed to oversee this controversial industry.  For these reasons we support The Hydraulic Fracturing Regulatory Act, HB 2615, which will provide at least some solid measures to protect ourselves from the dangers of fracking.   However, our support for these protections does not mean they give us any confidence that fracking in Illinois can be done safely, or that any regulatory regime could adequately address all of the risks posed by fracking.  On the contrary, we oppose fracking coming to Illinois and continue to build support for a moratorium.

A far safer and better path to job creation and economic development in Illinois is to continue to build our clean energy economy.   We have created over 20,000 jobs in wind and solar energy since Illinois set clean energy targets in 2007, and that is only the beginning of the economic and environmental benefits if we prioritize clean energy.   Conservation efforts can also create jobs and business opportunities while reducing the demand for natural gas, and lower our utility bills.   We urge the General Assembly to approve pending renewable energy and energy efficiency measures to help Illinois take advantage of these opportunities and all the benefits they offer our state.

Over the Cliff: Not a Happy New Year for Illinois’ Environment

Past the cliff comes what, the abyss?

Wherever the metaphors and rhetoric are headed as the stalemate in Congress continues, here in the real world the stakes are high for our health and the quality of our land, air, and water.

We probably won’t notice a change in the first days or couple weeks after going over the “cliff”, but make no mistake about it: the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the progress we’ve made in cleaning up both are at risk as the crisis plays out. Let’s take a look at a few of the potential impacts.

A Halt to Healing the Great Lakes?
Lake Michigan provides drinking water for over half of Illinois’ residents, and together the Great Lakes contain one fifth of the fresh water on the planet. In recent years, we have begun to turn the corner on some of the lakes’ most persistent pollution problems thanks to the Clean Water Act and investments in sewage treatment. President Obama’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative has provided over a billion dollars in new funding to clean up toxic waste sites around the lakes, like Waukegan Harbor, and protect the habitats that are crucial their health.

Mandatory cuts would create strong pressure to reduce or stop this important work in progress. It would also end up costing us all more in the long run.

“Cutting funding to essential clean water programs will not save the nation one penny,” according to Joel Brammeier, president and CEO of Alliance for the Great Lakes. “In fact, cutting these programs will only make projects harder and more expensive the longer we wait. At a time when lawmakers need to make smart budget choices, Great Lakes restoration offers one of the best returns on the dollar in the federal budget. It’s a winner for the environment and the economy.”

Hitting Pause on Pollution Control?
We all count on the scientists and other professionals at the Environmental Protection Agency to enforce our environmental laws and crack down on scofflaws who would jeopardize our health by cutting corners on pollution controls. EPA is now planning for how to accommodate deep, immediate cuts that would put many of these public servants off the job. This would not only snarl enforcement efforts but increase the strain on their state partners, such as Illinois EPA, who count on federal support in managing with their own severe resource constraints.

Standing Down From Stopping Asian Carp?
Since invasive Asian Carp were discovered within miles of Lake Michigan in 2009, the Obama Administration has marshaled an unprecedented effort
to keep the aquatic invaders out in the short term and plan for a permanent solution at the same time. The cliff cuts would likely be a double-whammy for these efforts, as the US Army Corps of Engineers will be cut as part of mandatory defense spending reductions, and non-defense cuts will impact the federal biologists and Illinois Department of Natural Resources and their intensive efforts. To date, they’ve been able to keep the carp out of the lake, but for how long, once the rug has been pulled out from under them?

Lost Opportunities to Save our Last Wild Places
Illinois scored a big win for future generations this year when the US Fish and Wildlife Service established the Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge in McHenry County and southern Wisconsin – the first Refuge in the Chicago region. This was an historic accomplishment, but it was really the first step toward making this wonderful asset a reality. Now the Service is working with local partners to plan the land acquisition to transform the Refuge from a place on the map to a place we can experience the great outdoors. Without the capacity to preserve these lands now, some will undoubtedly increase in price, and perhaps be lost forever to development rather than be a part of the Refuge our children can experience in the future. We also count on the Fish and Wildlife Service to manage and restore ten other Refuges in Illinois,just as we count on the Forest Service to protect our Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie and the Shawnee National Forest.

Cuts To Clean Water
Illinois is making major headway against some of our more stubborn water pollution problems. A coordinated effort to restore the Illinois River is resulting in cleaner water, plans are in place to clean up suburban waters like the Fox and DuPage watersheds, and the Chicago River system is on the verge of a major recovery now that major wastewater treatment upgrades are planned. All of this will take investment, of course, and Governor Pat Quinn recently launched the Illinois Clean Water Initiative to help make these investments. However, federal support has always been an important part of clean water infrastructure investment, and Illinois is counting on that support to implement these plans. Federal grants support state programs to loan the dollars needed by cities and wastewater agencies to make these improvements, at better rates and terms than private lenders would offer. This gives us clean water, and lower property tax bills to boot. Mandatory federal cuts would surely fall hard on support for these state clean water funds, and delay or cancel these plans to revitalize the waters that make up the heart of so many Illinois communities.

In addition to the direct budget cuts, the deadlock in Congress also jeopardizes the tremendous growth in the Illinois clean energy industry. Illinois has seen over 20,000 jobs created in wind power alone in the last five years, due mostly to new state clean energy targets and a key federal tax incentive. That federal tax incentive is now expiring, with no apparent consensus among Republicans to keep the economic and environmental benefits from wind power coming online.

Clearly this is not a good way to start the New Year. However, if there is a silver lining to this mess, it could be that if forces all of us to think about how much we depend on these programs and investments to protect our health and our environment for future generations. Let’s hope that it also starts to matter to the members of Congress who can lead us out of the abyss, but so far seem to prefer protecting tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. The air we breathe and the water we drink matters to each and every one of us, no matter what your tax bracket.

Don’t Frack With Illinois!

That’s the message a growing coalition of organizations and concerned citizens is sending to industry and decision-makers regarding the proposal to open Illinois to high-volume hydraulic fracturing–or fracking.

Gas leasing speculation has been quite a spectacle in Illinois, especially in the southeastern counties where shale gas development is thought to be the most promising. We learned early on that the state has virtually no regulations in place to protect the public and the environment from the hazards of fracking. Seeing all to0 clearly the myriad of damages to people, communities and the environment that shale gas development has caused in other states a coalition of environmental organizations came together to address the issue head on.

For nearly a year, Sierra Club and other organizations have established a list of measures that are necessary for the protection of people and places in Illinois. They include:

• Chemical disclosure–before fracking–of exactly what chemicals are being used in the frack.
• Baseline groundwater testing before the frack and following monitoring afterwards.
• Water withdrawal plans.
• An adequate public notice and appeal process for frack well permits.
• Adequate setbacks from water supplies, including water wells, streams, ponds and lakes.
• Prohibition on the use of toxic chemicals such as BTEX chemicals (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene).
• Prohibition of storing wastewater in open pits.
• Treating  fracking waste as hazardous waste.
• Ending clean air act exemptions for fracking sites.

Until industry is willing to accept reasonable regulations that protect the environment and the people who depend upon it for their lives and livelihoods, no permits should be issued for high-volume hydraulic fracturing. Therefore, we continue to support a moratorium on fracking until Illinois has developed robust and comprehensive regulations that protect people and places from an activity that has been so harmful in other parts of the country.

Please ask your state legislators for his or her support by co-sponsoring Senate Bill 3280 with a moratorium on fracking until robust regulations have been developed.

And, please support this important campaign by taking part in the Don’t Frack With Illinois event—a virtual fundraising event sponsored by the Shawnee Group Sierra Club. Win a handcrafted acoustic guitar generously donated by Whipple Creek Guitars in Pomona, Illinois. Visit the event website to buy tickets and your chance to WIN!!

High-volume Hydraulic Fracturing Background Information

Industry is proposing to use high-volume horizontal hydraulic fracturing to reach oil and/or natural gas in the New Albany Shale. After drilling into the shale, which is located between 4,000 to 5,000 feet down, the well bore is then drilled horizontally for one to two miles. Following the drilling the well is then “completed” or “fracked.” Fracking is process in which water, sand and toxic chemicals (fracking fluid) are injected into the well at high pressure to create small cracks in the rock that allow natural gas to freely flow to the surface.

Each well uses between 2 to 8 million gallons of fresh water taken from our lakes and aquifers. Since one well is often fracked up to 18 times and there could be one well for every forty acres of land within the New Albany Shale, this amounts to an enormous quantity of fresh water permanently taken out of the system.

Additionally, an estimated 30% to 70% of the fracking fluid will resurface, bringing back with it toxic substances that are naturally present in underground oil and gas deposits, as well as the chemicals used in the fracking fluid. Industry is proposing to store this toxic brew in open evaporation pits until it can be hauled away in tanker trucks to deep injection wells. Spills and leaks throughout this process are inevitable, putting wells, farm ponds, streams, lakes, and aquifers and the people, pets, livestock and wildlife that use them at great risk.

In many areas, after a well has been fracked, people’s well water has become contaminated by chemicals (some even radioactive) that migrate into aquifers through natural fissures and/or possibly through abandoned wells.

Air pollution is also a big problem. Volatile organic compounds from wastewater flowback pits and airborne chemical releases from the equipment involved in the fracking process all add up to a high level of air pollution in many areas.

Get your map while it’s hot!

 

RALLY FOR STARVED ROCK

Join us October 28th as we continue our fight to save Starved Rock State Park!

For more information, visit our site dedicated to fighting sand mining at Starved Rock State Park!

Gov. Quinn Signs New Law Promoting Cleaner Water and Better Farming Practices

Collaboration between farming groups and environmental organizations

SPRINGFIELD — Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed legislation Tuesday enacting new programs to help Illinois farmers reduce waste of fertilizer and resulting water pollution.   Governor Quinn signed House Bill 5539 on Agriculture Day at the Illinois State Fair.

“Nutrient pollution is Illinois’ most widespread water pollution problem, but helping farmers use fertilizers more effectively will bring cleaner water to rivers, lakes, and streams across Illinois,” said Jack Darin, Director of the Sierra Club, Illinois Chapter.

Farmers apply nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen to maximize crop yields.   When more nutrients are applied than crops can take up, extra nutrients often wash into rivers and streams in the rain.   The excess nutrients fertilize algae in waterways, which leads to explosions in algae populations.   These algae populations create foul-smelling, pea green water, and suck oxygen out of the water that fish need to breathe, often leading to fish kills.

The new law will create the Nutrient Research and Education Council (NREC) to provide scientific expertise and new funds to help farmers use fertilizers most effectively, minimizing the amount that runs off into Illinois waters.  A new fee on commercial fertilizers will fund research and a grant program to help farmers deploy best practices for reducing fertilizer runoff.

“An active Nutrient Research and Education Council will be a real asset to Illinois’ overall efforts to clean up nutrient pollution,” said Dr. Cynthia Skrukrud, Clean Water Advocate for the Sierra Club, Illinois Chapter, who will serve as a member of the new Council.  “Efforts like these to help farmers implement solutions are and important part of an overall strategy that includes steps to also reduce nutrient pollution from all major sources, including sewage treatment plants, urban runoff, and agriculture.”

The new legislation is a product of a unique collaboration between Sierra Club, other clean water advocates, and agricultural organizations.   These groups are often at odds over how to reduce nutrient pollution, but worked together to create these new programs.  Now farmers will have access to the most up-to-date knowledge on fertilizer application, increasing crop yield, and preventing nutrient leaching.  Less water pollution means safer water for drinking, fishing, swimming, and aquatic wildlife.

“These new tools will help farmers make smart decisions about fertilizer application, and that will reduce pollution in our waterways,“ said Jack Darin, director of the Illinois Chapter of the Sierra Club.   “We know farmers want to be part of the solution to water quality problems, and now they’ll have access to resources and technical expertise to do so.”

CONTACT: Jack Darin, (312) 251-1680×112

Asian Carp Visit Chicago

Photo credit: WGN

This was a big week for Asian Carp awareness here in Chicagoland. Scientific studies, legislation and even carp-consumption have served to inform and update the public on this troublesome invasive species.

Today the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans released their risk assessment of Asian Carp infiltrating the Great Lakes. The study names the Chicago Area Waterway as the most likely entry point and affirms that they can and will spread to the other Great Lakes. The most noteworthy finding is that as few as 10 female and male fish would provide a 50% chance of establishing a population within the basin of a Great Lake; this is significantly less than previous estimates.

“This study is a clear warning that our beautiful Lake Michigan is at serious risk from Asian Carp,” said Jack Darin, Director of the Sierra Club, Illinois Chapter.   ”If these dangerous invaders get into our Lake, they are likely to explode in population and wreak havoc on the Great Lakes ecosystem.   Fortunately, there are solutions that will keep the carp out and give us healthier waters here in the Chicago region, but time is short and we need to work urgently to plan and implement these solutions before it’s too late.”

Yesterday, the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee, which consists of federal and state agencies working together to stop the spread of Asian Carp, held a public meeting to provide updates on their monitoring programs. This update included recent legislation affecting the Army Corps’ GLMRIS study, which is focused on solutions to prevent the transfer of invasive species between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Basins.

The Corps’ most recent study reported nearly 15% positive results for Silver Carp DNA in the Chicago Area Waterway System (CAWS), a significantly higher percentage than previous monitoring results.

The recent passage of the Stop Invasive Species Act was confirmation that, like the public, legislators are concerned about the urgency of this problem. The act was signed into law on Friday as part of the massive federal transportation, student loan and flood insurance bill. The bill pushes the Army Corps to expedite the GLMRIS study within the next 18 months. The act also mandates an interim report within 90 days outlining how they will complete the study.

Chicagoans also got a chance to sample some delicious carp sliders at the Taste of Chicago at a booth co-hosted by the Department of Natural Resources and Dirk’s Fish and Gourmet Shop. Commercial fishing isn’t a permanent solution to the problem of aquatic invasives but it is a helpful control measure to help communities already impacted by the nuisance species.

A Night Under the Stars: Ravinia 2012

The time has come for our annual fundraiser at Ravinia!

Come and join the Sierra Club for a summer evening under the stars at the Ravinia Festival as we enjoy the innovative sounds of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra playing, “Brahms Bonanza.”

This year, we are proud to honor retiring State Representative Karen May for over a decade of hard work fighting for our environment in Springfield. Karen has been one of our tireless champions in Springfield who has fought for wetlands protection, clean energy initiatives and green healthy schools. We will truly miss her leadership and voice in Springfield. We plan to work hard to make sure we find another champion that can carry the flag for our environment daily. Come out and thank Karen for her great efforts in protecting our environment and the health of Illinoisans.

Tickets are $75 per person; $250 to be a Host (includes 4 tickets). All tickets can be purchased at http://tinyurl.com/sierraclubilravinia

Dinner drinks, chairs and tables will be provided. The event is rain or shine! We will be under the stars, not under a tent, so please prepare for the weather!All proceeds will benefit the Illinois Chapter PAC and will be used to help elect pro-environment champions and ensure that Illinois has a safer, cleaner future. We are looking forward to seeing you there!

Event Details

Friday, July 13, 2012                                                                                                           200 Ravinia Park Road – Highland Park                                                                6:00pm- Food, Drinks and Welcome/ Dinner Served by He’s Kitchen Catering    8:00pm- Brahm’s Bonanza                                                                                   Featuring: The Chicago Symphony Orchestra

*Because 100% of your contribution will be used to help elect pro-environment candidates, contributions are not tax-deductible. A copy of our report filed with the State Board of Elections is available for purchase from the State Board of Elections, Springfield, Illinois.