Elkhart residents oppose mine project
ZBA hearings continue tonight

[October 09, 2014]  LINCOLN - This evening, Thursday, October 9^th, a public hearing will resume on an issue that has raised great concern to the residents of the village of Elkhart.  The public hearing process of the Logan County Zoning Board of Appeal began last Thursday evening and was adjourned when the evening ran late.

The issue is the request of the local mine to rezone land that would allow a new fly ash disposal site. The current site is expected to reach capacity in 2017. 

International Coal Group, LLC and Arch Land Company own the property in question and it is adjacent north of the current site.

Elkhart residents are concerned and taking action.  Residents have organized petitions, including an online petition at move.org that gained 200 signatures and a paper petition was circulated to present to the ZBA.  The residents have also consulted and lined up seven experts to testify on their behalf. 

Concerns expressed by the community about the presence of the fly ash are several fold: Health, aesthetic value of the area, lower property values, potential land and water contamination in the future.

The petition reads: “This could result in health threats and contamination of water supplies in Elkhart, IL due to toxic coal fly ash deposited at the proposed dumpsite on rezoned lands.  The toxic dumping of coal ash at the site would also be a threat to the environment and property values in the town of Elkhart.”

Coal ash is known to contain 31 common elements known to be toxic or emit a low level radiation.

Mine representatives have a big job to convince local residents their land and water will remain safe in the future.

During last week’s hearing, mine representatives claimed a great relationship with key environmental regulatory agencies, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. 

IDNR and the EPA both receive monthly reports from the mine as they monitor thirty-one nearby water sources including the water supply for Elkhart. 

Practices by the mine are highly regarded as a model in the mining industry.

The mine opts to employ self-monitoring procedures above what is required and has 31 years records at the current treatment and storage facility. 

The future plans include covering over the old site and reclaiming the land with grasses and shrubs; and the new site would include a continual progressive reclamation process.

The project is subject to numerous plan and permit approvals by state and federal environmental protection agencies, and it would be subject to strict mining industry regulations.

Mine representatives hope their past good reputation, and the design plans for the new site are enough to convince the residents that their future land, air and water will be safe.

Residents are being cautious and cite responsibility toward to protect the land and water for future generations.

Once the ZBA makes a decision on the rezoning request, the recommendation will go to the Logan County Board for final approval.

The hearing resumes at 7:30 p.m. at the old grade school in Elkhart.

[LDN]