Prairie State Wire

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is currently accepting public comments until September 20 regarding the abandoned mine lands reclamation projects selected for work under President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

IDNR's Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Division received $75.7 million for land and water reclamation at 55 abandoned mine sites across Illinois during the first year of the grant. The department is eligible to receive $75.7 million annually for a total of 15 years through IIJA to address additional reclamation projects.

The Abandoned Mine Land program targets serious environmental and safety issues at coal and non-coal mines abandoned before August 3, 1977. States can use federal grants to address hazards from legacy coal mining that threaten public health, safety, and the environment; restore water supplies; and manage coal abandoned mine land emergencies.

Comments can be emailed to lance.l.range@illinois.gov or mailed to Lance Range, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Office of Mines and Minerals, 1 Natural Resources Way, Springfield IL 62702.

Projects proposed for the second year of the grant include:

Franklin County:

- Ward Mine: Openings and hazardous equipment will be corrected.

Fulton County:

- Spoon River No. 1: Vertical openings will be sealed, concrete and refuse covered.

- Aiden Coal Company No. 9: Vertical openings will be sealed, concrete and refuse eliminated.

- Roy Post Mine: Slope entries will be sealed, sinkholes addressed.

- United Electric Cuba Mine: Reclamation will address steep embankments.

Gallatin County:

- National Mining: Reclamation to eliminate dangerous highwall.

- Peabody Bridge: Reclamation to address bridge.

Grundy County:

- Northern Illinois Coal Corp. (Lincoln Lake): Reclamation will address steep embankments.

Henry County:

- Oaks Coal Mine: Vertical openings will be sealed to prevent human exposure.

Jackson County:

- Tab Simco Bioretor Rebuild No. 2: Reclamation work will improve water affected by acid mine drainage.

LaSalle County:

- French Coal Co.: Reclamation will fill in slump areas and address drainage.

- Osage Coal Co. SM-2: Reclamation will address drainage issues around Dee Bennett Road.

- Deer Park Mine: Reclamation will seal slope entry and shafts, addressing acid mine drainage.

Montgomery County:

- Cosgrove Meehan No. 5: Acid mine drainage will be addressed.

- Mount Olive and Livingston No. 1: Acid mine drainage will be addressed.

Peoria County:

- Wildlife Prairie Park: Reclamation will eliminate steep slopes and cover gob material.

- Crescent Coal Company No. 2 A/S: Mine openings will be sealed to prevent human exposure.

- Edwards Mine, Stegmaier Property: Reclamation will eliminate steep slopes and cover gob material.

Perry County:

- Burning Star No. 2, Phase III: Dangerous highwalls and embankments corrected.

- Burning Star No. 2, Coconut Road Bridge: Coconut Road bridge and culverts corrected.

Schuyler County:

- Peterson Coal Company: Refuse buried or eliminated.

- Cleavenger Mine: Vertical openings sealed, refuse covered.

St. Clair County:

- Sugar Creek Estates: Steep slopes eliminated through reclamation efforts.

Tazewell County:

- B&B Mine: Vertical opening sealed.

- Manhattan Coal Co.: Depression left by settled shaft addressed through reclamation efforts.

- Liberty Mine: Vertical opening/drift entry sealed; refuse covered.

Vermilion County:

- Kickapoo Embankments Drainage/ Mauk Pond Embankment/Nelson & Son/Dowiatt/Frederickson/Missionfield Rd Highwall/Kickapoo Sportsman Lake Projects involve sealing vertical openings & correcting embankments/drainage issues

Will County

- North Will Road Project addresses steep embankments

Williamson County

- Veterans Airport/Wenezel Brothers Surface/Carterville/Amax Nixville/Delta Collieries Tecumseh/Bluebird Turner Projects focus on reclaiming hazardous equipment/facilities/gob material/dangerous piles/highwalls/spoil areas

For more information about these projects or other abandoned mine lands reclamation initiatives in Illinois visit IDNR’s website.