Threatened plant found at mine site

Opponents of a proposed strip mine near the central Illinois community of Banner say the recent discovery of a threatened plant species should halt the project.

[Jane Ward]

This isn't just about saving flowers. It is about a unique piece of land between two Illinois state conservation areas: Banner Marsh SFWA and Rice Lake Conservation Area. It is a wetland. This prairie was created when the original owners tilled the land and attempted to farm the field. It was too wet. They could rarely grown any crops in this field, so it has become a rich prairie, unique in Illinois wetlands.

However, the major reason to prevent mining in this area is because it is in the middle of a conservation area that is home to eagles nesting in the winter, spring, and summer; to large roosts of eagles every winter; osprey have one of the only three nests known in Illinois within one mile of the proposed mine site; short-eared owls use the area to roost in the winters while they hunt the adjacent Banner Marsh (a reclaimed coal mine that has not been returned to its former state 30 years and millions of dollars later); King Rail have been observed in the area. These are all endangered in the state of Illinois.

The area is far to sensitive to disturb with a mine; they will be blasting from sun up to sun down 7 days a week to get to the coal some 50-70 feet below ground. They will disturb the hydrology, and cause toxic minerals to run off into the adjacent wetlands. This is a wetland; and it should not be mined.

Please see my blog for more information about this situation:
http://walkwithmepart2.blogspot.com/search...

[Jane Ward]

This isn't just about saving flowers. It is about a unique piece of land between two Illinois state conservation areas: Banner Marsh SFWA and Rice Lake Conservation Area. It is a wetland. This prairie was created when the original owners tilled the land and attempted to farm the field. It was too wet. They could rarely grow any crops in this field, so it has become a rich prairie, unique in Illinois wetlands.

However, the major reason to prevent mining in this area is because it is in the middle of a conservation area that is home to eagles nesting in the winter, spring, and summer and to large roosts of eagles every winter; osprey have one of the only three nests known in Illinois within one mile of the proposed mine site; short-eared owls use the area to roost in the winters while they hunt the adjacent Banner Marsh (a reclaimed coal mine that has not been returned to its former state 30 years and millions of dollars later); King Rail have been observed in the area. These are all endangered in the state of Illinois.

The area is far to sensitive to disturb with a mine; they will be blasting from sun up to sun down 7 days a week to get to the coal some 50-70 feet below ground. They will disturb the hydrology, and cause toxic minerals to run off into the adjacent wetlands. This is a wetland; and it should not be mined.

Please see my blog for more information about this situation:
http://walkwithmepart2.blogspot.com/search...