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CANTON, IL – Opponents say a proposed strip mine northeast of Canton, Illinois could pollute drinking water for 20,000 people.
The Illinois E-P-A held two hearings this week on two water permits for the proposed coal mine northeast of Canton.
Capital Resources Development Company LLC wants to open a coal mine on a 1,084 acre site.
Brian Perbix with the Prairie Rivers Network said the site has a number of streams running through it. The streams feed Lake Canton which supplies drinking water to over 20,000 people.
He said, "Fulton County is hurting for jobs. But strip mining is about one of the least efficient job creation engines I can think of. These are short-term jobs. They'll be 10 years and out. Ant then what is the community left with if they don't have clean water?"
Perbix said the mine would radically alter the streams that feed Lake Canton. The lake is also a popular recreational site for fishermen.
He said, "They're (Capital Resources Development Company) proposing to mine through a good number of those streams and then dam those tributaries and turn them into treatment basins."
Perbix said heavy rains could flush pollutants from holding ponds into the streams feeding the lake. Those pollutants could include mercury, manganese and arsenic.
He said the Illinois EPA will take public comments until January 5th. Once the public comment period ends the agency will take at least two months to consider the information before announcing its decision on the water permits for the site.
Perbix said opponents of the site, such as the Canton Area Citizens for Environmental Issues, are pushing the Illinois Department of Natural Resources for an administrative hearing. The group wants the department to reconsider issuing the mining permit.