High-volume horizontal fracturing (fracking) is devastating to our communities, land, water and contributes to the continued destabilization of our climate.   Sierra Club stands with those who are calling on Springfield to enact a moratorium on fracking in Illinois, and we urge legislators to support HB3086 and SB1418.

Sierra Club opposes fracking in Illinois, and wants to stop this destructive practice before it starts. We continue to stand with our friends and allies that support a moratorium and urge state legislators to support HB 3086 and SB 1418. A moratorium affords us the opportunity to prioritize protecting public health and the environment while we look more closely at the damaging risks posed by yet another extractive industry in our state.

Because fracking, sadly, is legal in our state today, a moratorium is the safest and best approach for dealing with this threat.   Strong regulatory measures are also important to protect the environment and public health, but new regulations will not make fracking safe.   We do need to update our pre-World War II era oil and gas regulations, but our support for additional protections does not mean we have confidence that fracking can be done safely or without pollution. We believe that the safest option for Illinois is to adopt a moratorium so that we can study the risks of fracking in an open and transparent way.

There is a better way to develop energy for Illinois. Rather than our continued reliance on fossil fuels, we should continue to build our clean energy economy. Illinois’ clean energy economy has created 20,000 jobs, saved consumers $177 million and cut climate changing pollution by more than 5 million tons. Illinois should embrace the opportunities of a clean energy future and pass on the extractive fossil fuels of the past.

Saline River Watershed. Red arrows indicate approximate locations of canoe launch and take out spots. The “X” marks the approximate location of the tract of land the FS proposes to trade to Peabody Coal for a strip mine.

The 754,942-acre Saline River watershed in far southeastern Illinois has gone from one of the most important historical and geographical features in the region to one of the most abused and under-appreciated watersheds in the entire state. Once a pristine river running through vast forested wetlands the Saline has been turned into an extensively channelized river system that carries pollutants from coal mines, agricultural fields, and even oil extraction.

So why, you might be asking yourself, would 21 people choose to float this seemingly undesirable river on an Illinois Chapter conservation outing? It all started in 2011 when we first heard about a proposed land exchange between the U.S. Forest Service (FS) and Peabody Coal Company. In the proposed exchange the Forest Service would trade a parcel of approximately 384 acres in size on the Saline River in Gallatin County for three tracts of Peabody land, which adjoin FS land in Pope and Jackson Counties. (See Stop the Swap–Go to Bat for the Bats for details.)

Bottomland forested wetlands provide unique habitat and help with flood control.

The reason Peabody wants the Gallatin County parcel is for the coal that lay underneath it. The reason we want to stop the swap is to preserve this beautiful site with its forested wetlands, huge cherrybark oak trees, and habitat for endangered Indiana and gray bats from being strip mined for coal.

After two visits last year we realized a unique and fun way to raise awareness of the situation was to take people to the site. And, since the site straddles both sides of the Saline River, what better way to see it than by canoe?

So, last Saturday, April 13^th, twenty-one paddlers embarked on a canoe float down the final 10 miles of the Saline River. We put in not far from the salt springs that were an important source of salt for Native Americans and early settlers, and took out at the mouth of the Saline at the Ohio River.

A couple miles into the trip we pulled out at the Forest Service parcel to explore on foot. It took a little finessing the muddy, slippery bank but everyone managed to reach dry ground without too much trouble. We took advantage of a large downed log to sit as we ate our lunch before scattering in different directions to explore the site. Although our time on land was limited everyone got to experience a bottomland forest with its large trees and pockets of standing water. We even got to see some wood ducks in one ponded area.

As the elevation rose above the floodplain we started seeing lots of spring wildflowers: bluebell, bloodroot, spring beauty, larkspur, trillium, Dutchman’s breeches, trout lily, Virginia waterleaf, blue phlox and wild ginger to name some, but probably not all.

With another 8 miles to go we hurried back to the canoes and by 2 pm were floating again. Although we did see a lot of agricultural land coming right up to the river’s edge, we also saw a lot of forested land, including another FS tract. During the remainder of the leisurely paddle everyone enjoyed the warmth of the spring sun and the sights and sounds of the wildlife life both in and out of the river. A large bald eagle nest was one of the first things we spotted, but it wasn’t until we neared the Ohio when we saw two adult bald eagles flying over. Wood ducks and belted kingfishers seemed to be around every bend. A barred owl that crossed the river right in front of us and landed in a nearby tree watched intently as we floated by. Migrant songbirds heard along the way included Louisiana waterthrush, blue gray gnatcatcher, northern parula and yellow-throated warbler. And, we got good looks at red-headed, red-bellied and pileated woodpeckers, great blue herons and a green heron.  In addition to a few Asian carp jumping out of the water, several people saw a gar and a paddlefish.

The take-away from the outing was not only the importance of preserving this parcel of public land for the eco-system services it provides to people and critters, but moreover what a tragedy that the Saline has been written off as nothing more than an industrial ditch.

Rather than swap this parcel, perhaps the Forest Service should be partnering with other public agencies and private land trusts to embark on an epic project to restore of one of the most unique and important watersheds in the state.

Here are Saturday’s events – hope to see you there!

Montrose Beach Sweep (Chicago)

Sat, April 21 9:00AM to 11:00AM

Celebrate Earth Day with Sierra Chicago Group by giving beautiful Montrose Beach a spring cleaning. A Nature Tour for beginning birders and other nature lovers will begin at 7:00 a.m. at the Montrose Beach House. Bring binoculars if you have them and dress for the weather. The Beach Sweep will run from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. and gloves, trash and recycling bags and other supplies will be provided. Meet at Montrose Beach House and be sure to dress for the weather.

Earth Day Celebration At Deer Grove Forest Preserve (Palatine)

Saturday, April 21 9:30AM to 2:30PM

LOCATION:  Deer Grove Forest Preserve, Palatine.  Entrance is on North side of Dundee Road between Quentin and Hicks Roads – Picnic Spot, Grove #2.  Sierra Club volunteers and partners work to restore natural habitat to Cook County’s Forest Preserves at Deer Grove.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle will speak at 1:00PM

For more info:  http://illinois.sierraclub.org/nwcook/events.html

OUR FOX RIVER EVENTS HAVE BEEN POSTPONED DUE TO HIGH WATER.   FOR RESCHEDULING INFO, CHECK: http://illinois.sierraclub.org/vof/

Green Block Party at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Saturday, April 20 sponsored by SIUE’s EcoHouse and Student Organization for Sustainability to kick off Earth Week. Farmers/craft market and vendor booths (food, crafts, clothes, jewelry, flowers and art). Hours are 1 to 3 p.m. in the EcoHouse parking lot, next to SIUE Gardens building in Cougar Village. Free and open to the public. Volunteers needed for Sierra Club booth. Sign up for a shift at christine.favilla@sierraclub.org.

For more information about these events, and others throughout the year, see our events page.

Happy Earth Day!

Wetlands are nature’s sponges, and the ones that are left offer tremendous flood protection.  According to EPA, one acre of a typical wetland can store a million gallons of water, or three-acre feet:

A one-acre wetland can typically store about three-acre feet of water, or one million gallons. An acre-foot is one acre of land, about three-quarters the size of a football field, covered one foot deep in water. Three acre-feet describes the same area of land covered by three feet of water. Trees and other wetland vegetation help slow the speed of flood waters. This action, combined with water storage, can actually lower flood heights and reduce the water’s destructive potential.

Illinois has lost more of its wetlands than most states.  According to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources:

When compared with other states, the scope of wetland loss in Illinois becomes more clear. Illinois ranks sixth in overall percentage of wetland loss, behind California, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, and Ohio. In terms of acres of wetland loss, Illinois ranks fifth. Only Florida, Texas, Louisiana, and Arizona have lost more acres. Because of the large percentage and acreage of wetlands that have been lost, Illinois is in the top 10 percent of states with the greatest overall wetland loss over the past 200 years.

Wetlands are also very good at filtering pollution out of our water supply, and provide critical wildlife habitat for most species.   But today we’re especially missing their flood protection superpowers aren’t we?

We’ve lost about 8.5 million acres of our original wetlands.  If we still had them today, they’d be keeping 8.5 trillion gallons of water out of basements, streets, businesses, and buildings.

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.

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

For over a century, Chicagoans looked at this river as a way to get our sewage out of town, but those days are fading fast. The people of Chicago are flocking to the river for relaxation and enjoyment, and our leaders are working together to remake the Chicago River into a clean, healthy waterway that supports aquatic life and recreation, and attracts economic activity and visitors to its banks. We applaud Mayor Emanuel for his vision for the Chicago River as a second shoreline for our city, and his leadership in making the investments that will create good jobs giving us a healthier environment, and a more vibrant, attractive city for the future. We also thank Senator Durbin for his work on behalf of this project and the Chicago River, and the local, state, and federal agencies working to upgrade pollution controls and improve water quality in the river.

Thanks to the work of our leaders, and the support from Chicagoans across our city, we are transforming the Chicago River system into a priceless new asset for our city and our neighborhoods. Sierra Club members in Chicago are excited to see the progress we’ve made together so far, and look forward to working with the City in developing a Chicago Riverwalk that connects all of us to this waterway at the heart of our great city.

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.

Can we stop the industry from bringing fracking to Illinois? When legislators proposed a two-year moratorium on the practice last year, we strongly supported that proposal, and we support continued calls for a moratorium today. However, we also need to acknowledge that fracking is legal today in Illinois, and for all we know, may already be occurring as you read this. We also need to recognize that our current laws regulating oil and gas drilling, originally passed in 1941, are totally inadequate to deal with the range of issues raised by injecting millions of gallons of chemical-laced fluid deep into the earth only to come surging back with gas and potentially oil. In short, Illinois citizens and our environment, at the moment, are virtually defenseless against against the problems experienced in other states.

That’s why it is essential that Illinois move quickly to get the strongest possible safeguards in place to protect citizens and their water supplies. Fortunately, discussions in Springfield have produced a basic agreement on what would be the strongest set of protections of any state in the country. The open pits for wastewater in use in other states will be banned here, and there will be none of the dumping the water into wastewater treatment plants, which has overwhelmed sewage plants elsewhere. The discharge of any fracking wastewater into surface water will be a felony offense. The industry must disclose what chemicals are used, and the most toxic ones will be banned. Ann Alexander from the Natural Resources Defense Council, who helped represent environmental groups in the negotiations that produced the proposal, has a good rundown on the major provisions of the bill here.

Open pits for wastewater will be banned in Illinois

The bill is certainly not perfect, and its ultimate effectiveness in protecting public health and the environment will be in how it is enforced. This will be a major test for the Department of Natural Resources, which will need significant new resources to do the job. That will be a key issue in the next phase of discussions, which will focus on taxes and fees the industry must pay. If the safeguards in HB2615 are going to work, they must be accompanied by adequate fees, paid by industry, to cover the state’s substantial costs.

We certainly share the concerns of those who live in areas where tracking is likely to occur – they have reason to be concerned. Hopefully, once House Bill 2615 is signed into law, they will be much safer than they are today, and much better protected than citizens in other states facing the same concerns. We may not be able to decide whether fracking comes to Illinois, but we absolutely must decide to make sure we are as protected as we can be.

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.