Tell us what you really think…
Monday, May 6, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* With so many people bad-mouthing Illinois for being a lousy place to do business, it’s quite different to see how Illinois coddles the coal mining industry. Here’s a rant from Salon entitled “Big coal owns Illinois”…
With state coal production soaring against national trends, Illinois cemented its reputation as the worst rogue state for coal operations last Friday, when the rubber-stamping operations of the state’s EPA issued a pollutant discharge permit to a company already cited by the state for over 600 toxic discharge violations at its central Illinois non-union strip mine.
Translation: Imagine the Department of Motor Vehicles renewing the driver’s license of a toxic-laden truck driver with 600 DUI’s.
Welcome to Illinois–where the brand new Prairie State coal-fired plant is facing “potential fraud” investigations for rocket increases in electricity rates; where the second highest number of contaminated coal ash dump sites in the country abound; where a mind-boggling high hazard coal slurry dam continues to rise in sight of a farm town‘s nursing home and day care center; where Illinois taxpayers underwrite a huge slush fund for coal marketing, including a shameless “coal education curriculum” for students that blatantly covers up the facts on the state’s deadly coal industry; where even the liberal US Sen. Dick Durbin fights for the pork of “clean coal” as the main utility company backs out of the FutureGen boondoggle.
Even with black lung disease for coal miners spiking, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources was also found in violation of state law’s for failing to hire enough mine safety inspectors.
It’s so pathetic in Illinois that even bankrupt energy companies are granted two-year extensions on their deadly emissions clean up requirements.
It’s so pathetic in Illinois that there’s not even a coal severance tax, or collection of sales tax for out-of-state transactions–a huge detail when record coal exports now drive the market.
It’s so pathetic in Illinois that we don’t even celebrate Coal Miners Day–just the coal barons.
And last Friday’s notice by the Illinois EPA, sent in an email after working hours, on the granting of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit for Springfield Coal’s strip mine operation near the township of Industry might be the most unabashed denial of facts and community input in recent memory.
Discuss.
- Shore - Monday, May 6, 13 @ 2:59 pm:
this isn’t a perfect study and it comes from the chamber of commerce, not something neutral like national journal but I thought page 32 was pretty good in putting all of the stats and comparisons by issue, state and region on one map/graph. Especially helpful given we see these come across in bits and pieces and it puts it in one place. well done.
http://foundation.uschamber.com/PDF/ES2013.pdf
- CircularFiringSquad - Monday, May 6, 13 @ 3:02 pm:
Has anyone fact checked this?
Some of the comments seemed outlandish. We have listened to industry folks whine about life in IL so it seems unlikely to be thefast and loose place the writer describes.
- Rail Sitter - Monday, May 6, 13 @ 3:06 pm:
Is the ISRA action alert writer moonlighting for Salon? Mighty breathless stuff.
- walkinfool - Monday, May 6, 13 @ 3:44 pm:
“Government regulation is killing industry in our great state of __________.”
just fill in the blank
For use in every state as a GOP talking point, regardless of the local reality.
These comments about Coal in Illinois, and its immunity from state-driven inconveniences, seem consistent with its preferred political status.
- Endangered Moderate Species - Monday, May 6, 13 @ 3:55 pm:
If the author of the Salon article has ever flipped on a light switch, then they may be a hypocrite.
- Arthur Andersen - Monday, May 6, 13 @ 4:04 pm:
Consider the source. IMHO, Salon is only slightly above Gawker and Buzzfeed in the quality of their “journalism.”
Here are a couple Top Stories from their Homepage: (If I just posted a link, I would get deleted or worse-they really have a fascination with one ah, health topic)
“Is GOP to blame for Texas fertilizer plant explosion?”
“Is 15 minutes of Fame really 15 minutes?”
“Is Rod Blagojevich really in Prison?”
OK, I made up the last one, but you get my point.
- former coal miner - Monday, May 6, 13 @ 4:06 pm:
Yeah, IL is a big coal state alright. That is why 48% of the power generated in Illinois comes from nukes and 1/10 of the nuke powered electricity in the US comes from IL nuke plants.
- Formerly Known As... - Monday, May 6, 13 @ 4:20 pm:
Illinois is so lopsided in favor of the coal industry that… 3 or 4 coal power plants closed down here in 2012?
Reality isn’t quite as cut-and-dry as the writer professes.
RailSitter might be on to something. And thanks to shore for the link.
- Downstate Surveyor - Monday, May 6, 13 @ 5:01 pm:
“..the nation’s most reckless coal industry.”
Really? When was the last mine related fatality in Illinois? When did the last mine related disaster occur? Quick - without Googling it. The truth is, Illinois is probably the safest state in the union for coal miners. This is also due to the cooperative efforts between DNR and the Mining Companies. So cut us a break. Get real. Admittedly, the mining companies can do better on water pollution - but everyone’s going home safe.
It’s not West Virginia. Not even close.
- Allen Skillicorn - Monday, May 6, 13 @ 6:13 pm:
Big business does fine in IL (look at CME and CAT). Yes, IL has an income tax and sky high workers comp liability, but big, crony corporations get breaks that small and midsize companies don’t. Works great for the politically connected and stinks for the vast majority.
‘Lump’ coal with the big powerful cronies…
- Just The Way It Is One - Monday, May 6, 13 @ 7:17 pm:
Sounds like an unabashed liberal with a laptop with an agenda against any and everything not “environmentally politically correct.” And based on the reference to his upcoming book, Arizona is next for his chopping board–ala, presumabl, that State’s Immiigration legislation under fire by the Obama Administration…
- reformer - Monday, May 6, 13 @ 7:36 pm:
I believe in second chances. But after 600 violations, second chances should’ve run out long ago.
- RNUG - Monday, May 6, 13 @ 9:46 pm:
Rich,
I agree it is a shame that most people in Illinois don’t realize it’s historical significance in the birth of unions. A lot of people don’t have a clue about the wars between the unions and the coal mine operators (and even between unions) in this state, especially in the Mt. Olive area. I’d bet over half of them can’t even identify Mother Jones …
As far as the skyrocketing black lung claims go, let’s just say I’m a a bit skeptical. I used to live in a coal mining town and it was just the norm to put in your black lung claim paperwork the same day you turned in your retirement paperwork. It was considered a supplement to their retirement. Everybody seemed to get their claim approved and I have a problem beliving 100% of the miners actually had it … especially given the robust health of some of them. Some of those guys who were 20 and 30 years older than I could run circles around me.
- retiredcoalminer - Tuesday, May 7, 13 @ 9:48 pm:
Other than bash liberals, not a single critic has challenged the facts in this article.
Mainly, a strip mine with over 600 violations received a renewed permit. Fact.
The rest of the facts listed, with links, are also indisputable, including the reality that three coal miners still die daily from black lung disease, and Illinois has no coal severance tax.
Bash liberals and environmentalists all you want, but the bottom line is that this article is true.
And you all know it.