Spring Break
Locals meet to preserve forest
Erin McCarthy
Issue date: 1/30/09 Section: News
Bill Dodds, president and CEO of Spoon River Electric Cooperative in Canton, worked to persuade citizens of the necessity behind the renewal.
"We are proponents of the environment. We're in the process of looking at other methods of power, but we're several years away," Dodds said. "I'm very happy to see that our local coal mines are opening up for additional supply. Hopefully that will help stabilize the [electric] prices until we can implement some of these other technologies that would help us with burning clean coal."
Several members of the Western Illinois University community attended the meeting, including Dr. Eric Ribbins, associate professor of biological sciences.
"Coal mining is an obsolete technology. We could far better invest our dollars in other technologies than burning coal," Ribbins said. "Coal is an environmentally destructive technology. It inherently destroys land, pollutes water, and the air. As a biologist, I believe we should be promoting plant biodiversity."
Joyce Blumenshine, Sierra Club representative, also attended the meeting to propose a number of questions regarding the enforcement of IDNR and EPA regulations.
The record of the renewal hearing will be open until Feb. 9 for concerned citizens to submit written comments, either in support or opposition to the renewal of Industry Coal Mine Permit #16. The land reclamation staff will review all comments, and a decision will be made to issue, deny or require modifications to the application.
Citizens are encouraged to e-mail comments for review to scott.fowler@illinois.gov.
"We are proponents of the environment. We're in the process of looking at other methods of power, but we're several years away," Dodds said. "I'm very happy to see that our local coal mines are opening up for additional supply. Hopefully that will help stabilize the [electric] prices until we can implement some of these other technologies that would help us with burning clean coal."
Several members of the Western Illinois University community attended the meeting, including Dr. Eric Ribbins, associate professor of biological sciences.
"Coal mining is an obsolete technology. We could far better invest our dollars in other technologies than burning coal," Ribbins said. "Coal is an environmentally destructive technology. It inherently destroys land, pollutes water, and the air. As a biologist, I believe we should be promoting plant biodiversity."
Joyce Blumenshine, Sierra Club representative, also attended the meeting to propose a number of questions regarding the enforcement of IDNR and EPA regulations.
The record of the renewal hearing will be open until Feb. 9 for concerned citizens to submit written comments, either in support or opposition to the renewal of Industry Coal Mine Permit #16. The land reclamation staff will review all comments, and a decision will be made to issue, deny or require modifications to the application.
Citizens are encouraged to e-mail comments for review to scott.fowler@illinois.gov.
Viewing Comments 1 - 5 of 7
Aoster
Adam
posted 1/31/09 @ 9:10 PM CST
Perhaps I may not have understood the article all too well, but where can we voice our opinion on the matter?
Losing Weight
posted 2/01/09 @ 9:11 AM CST
Besides energy from the wind, you can get energy from the sun with solar cells. Coal comes from living things that have stored up energy from the sun. (Continued…)
Lyndon
posted 2/02/09 @ 11:59 AM CST
Ok first of all coal transport on trains is more efficient than the transport of anything you are going to get at any store here in town. Trains transporting coal around here (it will vary depending on the gradient just as in your car) will get better gas millage than you precious Prius. (Continued…)
Lyndon
posted 2/02/09 @ 4:59 PM CST
Actually that mine has a wonderful collection of biodiversity. I do not know what the exact areas are labeled, but have been to almost every area of the mine. (Continued…)
Erin
posted 2/03/09 @ 1:55 PM CST
"It is amazing how little research is done on the Courier articles. How few biology profs are interviewed when the article is on biology"
Funny. There were actually two biologists in attendance. (Continued…)
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