Canton Area Citizens for Environmental Issues (CACEI) blogs that a letter by their President was published on May 4. They write: "In a meeting with the Ledger editor on May 12th, 2011, she explained that the Canton Daily Ledger pulled letter because it was too controversial, and furthermore that the paper would not publish anything on the North Canton Mine until something “official” came from IDNR or the mine."
Really? WTF!
CACEI is working to stop a surface coal mine near Canton Lake. I'm used to Illinois newspapers kowtowing to the coal industry but this level of subservience surprises me. Citizens needs to know the truth about what's being proposed in their area.
The controversial letter is preserved on the CACEI blog. I'll do my part to keep it from being thrown down the memory hole by re-posting it here as well. I can understand why the letter's factual arguments make coal industry boosters uncomfortable.
Many times when I am around town people ask how the mine issue is going. Our attorney and members have been busy working on the issue to challenge the North Canton Mine permit for the past four years. Now we have some news!
Canton Area Citizens for Environmental Issues, Canton Lake and Its Watershed’s legal challenge to North Canton Mine’s Permit #385 is moving forward. We have received word that the Illinois Department of Natural Resources administrative review hearing we requested is now scheduled for October 11-14th at the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Building in Springfield. This step is a huge financial undertaking for our group but we are unwavering in our desire to protect the Canton Lake and its watershed, the environment and the health and safety of the residents in Canton, Orion and Canton Township.
The mine application was submitted by Capital Resources Development to IDNR in 2006 with a public hearing in October 2006. The proposed mine site is approximately 1 ½ miles from State Rt North 78 going east on Brereton Road or about 2 miles from North 78 going east on Cypress Road. Canton Lake is 1 ¼ miles from the mine site. The site covers 1084.5 acres of farm land, forests and Copperas Creek and Middle Copperas Creek flows through the acreage. These creeks, streams and aquifers are part of the Copperas Creek watershed which feeds into Canton Lake.
Although most residents of Canton are not familiar with the area, it is home to many residents in Orion and Canton Townships. Many farm homesteads and lake homes are in the area along with many newly-built homes and small horse farms. Documented historic areas are located within the proposed mine site which includes Mitchell-White Farm site, Cooper-Motsinger Cemetery, and the underground railroad (Indian Trail Rd).
Development to this section of the county has occurred since the mine was proposed in early 2006. Along with new subdivisions and busy established companies, there are several new businesses along N. Highway 78 including Bank of Farmington, State Farm Insurance Office, and Herbst Landing. Fulton County Supervisor of Assessments Rick Regnier was quoted in an article published April 9, 2011 that Canton Township property would be assessed first “because it’s the biggest and fastest growing” in the county. One has noticed this growth as it seems to have caused an increase of traffic on N. Main St. and SR 78 North.
With hundreds of heavy loaded coal trucks (approximate total weight 80,000 lbs) using State Highway 78 and Rt. 9/24 traveling through the downtown of Canton in almost convoy fashion, the Main St. corridor will become a safety issue for other vehicle traffic and a health issue(diesel fumes, coal dust) for students, pedestrians and residents. It is one thing to have commercial traffic flow through town but to have heavy industrial traffic is altogether different.
Jobs are important to the community. There is an economic downside to having coal mining within an urbanized area. This proposed mining operation encompasses a water resource, a recreational area, and agricultural industries. Consideration has to be given to the loss of tax dollars, space for growth of residential and business development, loss of tourist dollars, the loss of farm dollars spent in the community and the real possibility of pollution and destruction of creeks, streams, aquifers that feed Canton Lake, and then one has to add in the human cost of due to health problems associated with unclean air. Also, there is the loss of natural beauty and tranquility to the whole area surrounding the proposed site.
During the month of May, CACEI members will be contacting residents to answer questions or provide information concerning our challenge to North Canton Permit #385. CACEI has registered with the City Attorney and City Clerk.
Thanks to the generosity of area residents and the tireless, brave work of members, Canton Area Citizens for Environmental Issues, Canton Lake and Its Watershed has been able to proceed with their rightful legal challenge to the granting of this permit.
- Brenda Dilts, CACEI President