Federal Court Decision Raises Questions about a Permit Issued for Pond Creek Mine’s Wastewater Pipeline to the Big Muddy River in Southern Illinois

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 20, 2020 Contact: Amanda Pankau, Prairie Rivers Network, 217-840-3057, apankau@prairierivers.org Cindy Skrukrud, Sierra Club, 312-229-4694, cindy.skrukrud@sierraclub.org Williamson Energy, owner of the Pond Creek Mine in Franklin and Williamson County, Illinois, has applied for or received several permits needed to construct a proposed 12-mile pipeline to pump mine wastewater into the Big…

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Citizens Speak Out in Favor of More Stream Protection at Coal Mines

The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) has proposed a new rule for regulation of coal mining intended to better protect streams, fish, and wildlife from the adverse impacts of surface coal mining operations and impacts to streams from underground mining.  The proposed rule would update the nearly 30-year-old rule coal mines now…

Victory at North Canton Mine

Streams Feeding Canton Lake Saved With the signing of a Circuit Court Consent Order on January 16, 2015 to terminate the North Canton Mine mining permit, two big victories were realized. First, the order to stop the strip coal mine in the watershed of Canton Lake protects the public drinking water supply for half the population…

Citizens Win Eight-Year Battle to Stop Coal Strip Mine

Local Water Resources Saved Upstream of Public Water Supply Lake IDNR Stream Protection Errors Exposed CANTON, Ill. – The court case contesting the North Canton coal strip mine permit was officially ended January 16th, winning an eight-year battle by citizens of Fulton County to protect Canton Lake and its watershed that supplies drinking water to over…

Batavia City Government Demands Accountability from Nation’s Largest Coal Company

On November 3, Batavia City Council unanimously approved a resolution calling on the Illinois Attorney General to investigate Peabody Energy’s sales process of the Prairie State coal plant. City Council made this request in response to citizens’ concerns about the environmental and financial risks associated with Batavia’s long-term power purchasing agreement with the coal plant.…

Sierra Club Among 18 Illinois Groups Calling on Rep. John Shimkus to Address Failing Coal Ash Pits

Today, on the six-month anniversary of an impoundment failure at Duke Energy’s Dan River plant in North Carolina, 18 environmental organizations and community groups representing thousands of citizens in Illinois sent a letter to U.S. Representative John Shimkus urging the congressman to address failing coal ash pits in the state. The letter reminded Rep. Shimkus,…

Foresight Energy LP profits rise at the expense of quality of life, clean water and clean air in Illinois

While there may have been excitement on Wall Street this week as Foresight Energy LP began trading on the New York Stock Exchange, Illinois residents living in the shadow of a Foresight Energy LP coal mine have a different story to tell. The financial community lauds the chutzpah of Chris Cline’s Foresight Reserves, which controls…

Illinois DNR Rejects Coal Mine Proposal After Scofflaw Company Defaults On Bond Obligation

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) recently rejected a permit renewal application for Springfield Coal Company’s Industry Mine.  Citing failure of financial obligations, the June 4 permit denial marks a significant step toward stronger enforcement of coal mining regulations in Illinois. “By denying this permit, IDNR is letting Springfield Coal and the mining industry…

Citizens’ Frustrations at Mine Hearing Underscore Need For Reform Measures

Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) recently announced some much needed and welcomed State mining program improvements within the Office of Mines & Minerals (OMM). But, it’s only a start. As was evidenced by citizen frustration at a recent public hearing more changes need to be made, people need to be heard, and OMM needs…

Time To Protect the Prairie State From Coal Mining

Across the Illinois countryside, rural citizens are fighting for their livelihoods, drinking water, farms, and future, and they are asking if the State of illinois has their backs – or not.   Last week, these residents came together to call on Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and his administration to end the long era of state government…