Midwest Can Tackle Farm Nitrogen Pollution Without Sacrificing Crops, Study Shows
Many researchers have looked at nitrogen pollution hotspots around the country. But a new first-of-its-kind, multi-year study from the University of…
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Urbana Extension Proposed For Kickapoo Rail Trail
URBANA — Officials in Urbana now have a feasibility study, for a proposed extension of the Kickapoo Rail Trail through the city. But Mayor Diane Marlin says it could be some time before the project becomes a reality. The proposed extension would be different in nature from the Kickapoo Rail Trail, which is a rail-to-trail…
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Arsenic Levels Remain High In Drinking Water, Especially In Smaller Communities
A new study out of Columbia University finds that drinking water nationwide—and in Illinois—continues to be contaminated with arsenic. This is especially prevalent among smaller community’s water supplies, often in rural areas. The study found that 12 water systems in Illinois, serving over 4,000 people, exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s maximum contaminant standard…
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Grafton Residents Still Reeling After Flooding Along Mississippi River, One Year Later
Scientists say climate change is already here, and it’s causing more frequent storms and flooding. Illinois Newsroom’s Lecia Bushak traveled to Grafton, where the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers come together to see how the town is still dealing with the physical and mental health effects of a devastating flood in 2019. GRAFTON – In the…
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Urbana Park District Continues Restoration Efforts After Ammonia Spill In Salt Fork River
The Urbana Park District and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) recently completed the first phase of a restoration project at Crystal Lake Park to help restore habitat, native plants and improve the health of fish. The restoration project is part of a long-term effort to clean up the Saline Branch (which flows through…
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Lawsuit Aims To Target Coal Ash Groundwater Contamination In Middle Fork River
CHICAGO – Environmental advocacy group Earthjustice held an oral hearing before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit last week to argue against a lower court’s finding that the Clean Water Act does not apply to pollution from groundwater. It’s part of a larger lawsuit aimed at fighting coal ash pollution in the…
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City Of Urbana Launches Geothermal Energy Program To Help Cut Carbon Emissions
URBANA – The City of Urbana is launching a new bulk purchasing program that will make it cheaper and easier for homeowners and businesses to install geothermal energy systems—and help reduce carbon emissions. The program, run in partnership with the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA), chooses a single installer that provides bulk pricing for geothermal…
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U Of I Publishes Latest Version Of Illinois Climate Action Plan, Outlines Steps To Achieve Carbon Neutrality By 2050
URBANA – The University of Illinois published the latest version of its Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP) this week, and it’s officially been signed by Chancellor Robert Jones. The sustainability plan includes steps for the Urbana-Champaign campus to achieve carbon neutrality — reaching net zero carbon dioxide emissions — by 2050. iCAP outlines a to-do…
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A Tax Hike For Forest Preserves On The Champaign County Ballot
MAHOMET — The Champaign County ballot includes another tax referendum this November. If voters approve, it will mean more money for the county’s system of forest preserves, just as they are experiencing an increase in visitors. Lake of the Woods is one of those forest preserves. Located on the Sangamon River, the site includes almost…
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Vistra Energy To Close Remaining Coal-Fired Power Plants In Illinois
CHAMPAIGN – Texas-based company Vistra Energy announced it would close its remaining coal-fired power plants in Illinois within the next decade, taking a step toward clean energy. The plants scheduled to be shut down include Joppa Steam, Kincaid, Baldwin and Newton. The latest closures follow previous coal plant shutdowns in Illinois in recent years—including in…
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Great Shakeout Invites Illinoisans To Prepare For Earthquakes
CARBONDALE — Drop, Cover and Hold On. Those are the directions for everyone taking part in the annual Great Shakeout Earthquake Drill next Thursday. Harvey Henson is a professor of geology and seismology at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, in a part of the state where three seismic zones overlap — the New Madrid, Wabash…
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Illinois EPA To Begin Testing More Than 1,700 Community Water Supplies For PFAS
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced this week that it will begin testing all community water supplies in the state for polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS—harmful chemicals found in firefighting foam, food packaging and household products that can leak into drinking water. This is the Illinois EPA’s first widespread sampling effort to monitor PFAS in…
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University Of Illinois Proposes Micronuclear Reactor To Cut Carbon Emissions
URBANA — University of Illinois researchers have proposed investing in a micronuclear reactor to help fight carbon emissions—and reach a goal of making the Urbana-Champaign campus carbon neutral by 2050. The proposed micronuclear reactor would contribute about 13% of campus energy and help reduce the university’s carbon footprint. The proposal is being submitted to the…
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Court Battles Over Dakota Access Pipeline Continue In Illinois
PATOKA – This summer, a district court ruled the Dakota Access Pipeline had to be shut down until a more thorough environmental review was done. That ruling was recently overturned, with the pipeline allowed to operate indefinitely. But multiple court battles continue. Reporter Lecia Bushak traveled to south-central Illinois to look into one of the…
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Environmental Groups Push To Strengthen Illinois EPA’s Proposed Coal Ash Rules
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois EPA (IEPA) testified last week in defense of proposed coal ash rules before the Illinois Pollution Control Board and the public. The rules would specify how the agency cleans up sites under the Coal Ash Pollution Prevention Act passed last year. That includes the cleanup and closure of coal combustion residual…
