Western Courier

Locals meet to preserve forest

Abstract:
Approximately 60 people gathered at the Industry Elementary School for a public hearing regarding the fifth renewal of the Industry Coal Mine Permit #16 on Wednesday. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources Office of Mines and Minerals conducted the hearing and invited concerned citizens to present their comments and questions for review....

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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?

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Erin

posted 2/02/09 @ 1:49 PM CST

Originally posted by
Adam
Perhaps I may not have understood the article all too well, but where can we voice our opinion on the matter?

scott.fowler@illinois.gov

Scott Fowler of the IDNR is taking all comments for review.

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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. That is also the same with oil. We are already losing too many trees. Because of the weight of coal, we have to use a lot of fossil fuels to transport it around the country.

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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. It can get well more than double the mpg. Horrible argument, might try a different one.
Yes wind energy is slightly better than coal. It doesn't release those harmful chemicals, which are actually already in the ground out. But it does require steady wind at rather substantial speeds. Then you have to build power lines back to the electric company so that it can once again be rerouted. We must also not forget the sound that is produces which makes some people sick. Don't worry about the thousands of birds that they kill.
Solar energy is amazing and I have no objection to everybody owning their own solar panels for their house. However they are super expensive and I imagine a select few from the area can actually afford them. As for the power company putting up massive collection panels, ridiculous. They are barely economical in states such as Arizona, Cali, New Mexico etc. Much work needs to be done on them to be more efficient and durable.
How many of you have ever been to a reclaimed mine site? I am guessing none or few. Some may have actually been but didn't realize it. Reclaimed mine sites. Many of the reclaimed mine sites are amazing w/ enormous amounts of ecological diversity. In many cases you will find species that are native to the area which are extirpated in most other parts of the State.
Before you go and get irate over the evil evil coal companies you might want to do a little research. Nice non-partisan article here though. Very nice. *sarcasm*

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Erin

posted 2/02/09 @ 2:06 PM CST

Originally posted by
Lyndon
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. It can get well more than double the mpg. Horrible argument, might try a different one.
Yes wind energy is slightly better than coal. It doesn't release those harmful chemicals, which are actually already in the ground out. But it does require steady wind at rather substantial speeds. Then you have to build power lines back to the electric company so that it can once again be rerouted. We must also not forget the sound that is produces which makes some people sick. Don't worry about the thousands of birds that they kill.
Solar energy is amazing and I have no objection to everybody owning their own solar panels for their house. However they are super expensive and I imagine a select few from the area can actually afford them. As for the power company putting up massive collection panels, ridiculous. They are barely economical in states such as Arizona, Cali, New Mexico etc. Much work needs to be done on them to be more efficient and durable.
How many of you have ever been to a reclaimed mine site? I am guessing none or few. Some may have actually been but didn't realize it. Reclaimed mine sites. Many of the reclaimed mine sites are amazing w/ enormous amounts of ecological diversity. In many cases you will find species that are native to the area which are extirpated in most other parts of the State.
Before you go and get irate over the evil evil coal companies you might want to do a little research. Nice non-partisan article here though. Very nice. *sarcasm*

Some reclaimed mine sites may be amazing, but the one in question (area #16) is not. I have been there. In fact, most people who travel south out of Macomb have probably been there without knowing it. It is a desolate waste land, completely stripped of anything you might be able to consider biodiversity, and it cannot even be used as farmland. If you had attended the meeting you would have seen and heard the extensive amount of research done on this area and the shoddy reclamation efforts. Most accusations were made toward the IDNR and EPA, not the "evil evil coal companies".

Your sarcastic comment is completely unfounded. This is a report of what happened at the meeting; nothing more, nothing less. Had it been opinionated, the article would have appeared in the editorial section.

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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. That company does a wonderful job of improving the land after they leave. At that mine there are many birds that you cannot find almost anywhere else in Illinois. There are a few bald eagles that eat the fish and other animals from the river running through there.
The area is also one of the best to find many birds of prey that are rare in the midwest.
As for the farmland, the area that was previously mined is currently used to grown crops. It has a fairly high yield as well. Once again a good writer would do research and not simply regurgitate stuff said from one side. I don't know if the mine company was not there, but if they were not you can always contact them and they would probably be glad to show you how well they have revived the past areas. I wouldn't expect all that great of journalism from the Courier. It is hard work I know. But as with most liberal college newspapers they only like to do work to show one side. Buy hey it is much easier to just take the word from someone who doesn't actually do any research and only shows their views of the select publications that they read.
Maybe you could talk to the people who live around the mine who have to sneak through the security to try and fish and trap in the waterways there. Obviously they have found the area to be prosperous.
Although the coal mining may be destructive during extraction, the coal is still needed. Afterwards the companies are very good at restoring the area.
It is amazing how little research is done on the Courier articles. How few biology profs are interviewed when the article is on biology. How little psychology profs are contacted on articles pertaining to college behavior. Just some hints.

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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. The one not quoted had conducted a six year study concluding in a severe loss of biodiversity. So that would not have pleased you at all.

"I don't know if the mine company was not there, but if they were not you can always contact them and they would probably be glad to show you how well they have revived the past areas."

This article is not in support or opposition to the renewal of permit #16. It is merely a report of what happened at the meeting. Of the 30 or so people who talked, only four were in support of renewal. That's just how it happened. It's nobody's fault that more didn't speak in support of it, and you should really stop getting so huffy over it, especially if you didn't attend the hearing yourself.

If you are so concerned, contact scott.fowler@illinois.gov and the committee will review your comment.

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