State-funded electric vehicle chargers open in Joliet, thousands more to come
With nearly half a million dollars of state funding, a new electric vehicle charging station opened in Joliet on Monday.
Drought delivers a big blow to wildlife already grappling with disease and habitat loss
Drought has scorched much of the Midwest and Great Plains for the last four years. Wildlife is also reckoning with the dry conditions – which can change animal behavior and even push species out of some regions.
Plan to ban carbon injections near aquifers stalls in Senate
Legislation was proposed after a pair of leaks at an ADM injection site near Decatur An Illinois Senate committee hit pause on a bill to ban carbon sequestration injections near aquifers after more than an hour of debate Wednesday. Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, asked that the Senate Executive Committee to wait to act…
A Midwest beetle that needs corpses to survive is dying out. But there’s still hope
The couple moving the body only have the moon to light their way. And this isn’t a mere coverup. “They’re taking this body into this underground bunker that they made,” said Bob Merz. Once in there, they’ll roll it into a ball and cover it in preservatives. Then, they’ll cut off pieces of flesh to…
Upper Mississippi River refuge celebrates 100 years of protection for fish, wildlife and habitat
The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge is the core of a major flyway for migrating birds and one of the most visited refuges in the U.S. Anglers and outdoor enthusiasts saved it from being drained 100 years ago, but the next century brings new challenges. High up on a bluff above the…
Cicadas impacted some apple harvests in Central Illinois, but Curtis Orchard was spared
This summer, three broods of cicadas emerged at the same time in parts of Illinois. Cicadas lay their eggs in the bark of small trees, which can damage or stunt their growth. The volume of cicadas varied from town to town.
Meteorologists: High winds and high fire danger in Central Illinois on Tuesday-Thursday
A Fire Weather Watch is in effect for Tuesday from Noon to 7pm.
Danville gets $1 million to focus on tree planting program
DANVILLE – The City of Danville has been awarded a $1 million grant from the Inflation Reduction Act and the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program. This grant will be used in launching a new program, Community Roots: Danville’s Urban Reforestation and Revitalization Plan. “This initiative is designed to enhance tree canopy…
Federal drought relief policies leave some farmers out to dry
Programs that provide drought relief to farmers use the U.S. Drought Monitor to determine eligibility, but some experts say it doesn’t always capture local conditions. On a recent fall day, as Wilburn Harris did the rounds on his cattle farm in the Missouri town of Drexel, he was met with brown grass, cracked…
Hurricane Milton is a Category 5. Florida orders evacuations and scrambles to clear Helene’s debris
The center of the storm could come ashore Wednesday in the Tampa Bay region, which has not endured a head-on hit by a major hurricane in more than a century.
ADM stops carbon injection as its Decatur facility remains under federal scrutiny
Company identified ‘anomaly’ in monitoring well After identifying an underground carbon dioxide leak earlier this year, agribusiness giant ADM found a further “anomaly” in one of the wells at its Decatur carbon dioxide sequestration plant in recent weeks. ADM has temporarily paused carbon dioxide injections as it conducts additional testing, according to company spokesperson Jackie…
No ‘threat to public health’: ADM responds after violation notice from EPA on carbon sequestration project
DECATUR- Agribusiness giant ADM is responding after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency found last week that the company violated federal regulations, a federal permit and the Safe Drinking Water Act earlier this year when a monitoring well at their carbon sequestration site in Decatur leaked liquified carbon dioxide into “unauthorized zones.” ADM says it has…
ADM carbon sequestration project violated Safe Drinking Water Act, per EPA
Leak in monitoring well being addressed by company, regulators DECATUR – Agribusiness giant ADM violated federal regulations, a federal permit and the Safe Drinking Water Act earlier this year when a monitoring well at their carbon sequestration site in Decatur leaked liquified carbon dioxide into “unauthorized zones,” according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. …
Cows produce planet-warming gases. What does that mean for a beef-lover’s diet?
Cattle contribute more greenhouse gases than other livestock. The reasons behind that have some ranchers trying to address environmental impacts, while experts say there are also ways for you to curb your plate’s climate footprint. From her home in eastern Nebraska, Angie O’Brien does what she can to help the environment. She reduces,…