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DNR to Review North Canton Mine Permit

Canton Area Citizens for Environmental Issues

The Illinois DNR on Monday decided to review its decision to renew a mining permit for a proposed coal mine near Canton.

The Administrative Review came about after the Heart of Illinois Chapter of the Sierra Club, and Canton Area Citizens for Environmental Issues filed an appeal.

Cindy Skrukrud is the Clean Water Advocate with Illinois’s State Level Sierra Club.

She said her group doesn't believe the renewal was valid because the original permit had already been partial denied by the DNR.

Shkrukrud also said the mining plan the DNR renewed, does not match the plan the company submitted to other state agencies.

"It's kind of gaming the system to present one thing to the IDNR and present a completely different proposal to the IEPA," she said.

The hearing date for the administrative review has been set yet. Dates for each side to submit legal documents have been set but the actual hearing could be months away Skrukrud said.

Those behind the proposed Canton mine are also the owners of the Industry mine which was found to have violated its water pollution permit over 600 times.
 

Scott Stuntz is a former reporter at Tri States Public Radio.