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Text Box: The Army Corps is planning to schedule a “public meeting” on their proposed Rice Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area “enhancements.” This project has great concerns for locals because of the amount of mature trees that will be destroyed, possibly affecting eagles and osprey known to be using the conservation area; impacts on other wildlife; the addition of a major levee and huge pumps on the Illinois river that can be used to pump water in and out of the facility. While there is an effort underway to have the public meeting postponed, it is currently scheduled for January 27th, at the Banner Township Building, Banner. I will send out more information when this is confirmed or if we can get it postponed until spring. The corps plans an “open house” style meeting with poster boards and the opportunity to make written comments, but no real public hearing. Local concern is that much of the degradation at Rice lake is from how the area has been managed by IDNR. Questions include how will this help migrating birds and other area wildlife, as this project appears to be directed at helping boost hunting areas by making most of the wetlands subject to adding or removing water as IDNR wishes. This Army Corps project was originally planned at $7 million, and as of last fall is now about $14 million. If anyone has anymore information on this project or suggestions please contact me. Thanks, Joyce Blumenshine, (309)-688-0950 Project Fact sheet for: Rice Lake Complex Habitat Rehabilitation & Enhancement Project— LaGrange Pool-UMRS-EMP Location: LaGrange Pool, IL Waterway River Miles 132 through 138, Fulton County, IL River Basin(s): Illinois State(s): IL Congressionsl District(s): IL-17 Status: The public Review Draft Report is scheduled for distribution in late 2009. Description: Rice Lake is a 6,800 acre backwater complex located 24 miles southwest of Peoria, IL, in Fulton County. The project lands are state owned and are managed by the IL Dept. of Natural Resources (ILDNR) as a fish and wildlife area. Project Features: Reestablish the Hate Levee with a riprap over-flow structure to function as the major water control facility for the entire complex; Locate a pumping facility on the Illinois Waterway; Excavate channels for water supply to management areas; Install two fish passage structures; Construct interior levees for moist soil management; and, Plant mast trees and native grasses on Duck Island Increased flood and sedimentation levels have resulted in de- gradation of what has historically acted as excellent mid-migration waterfowl and aquatic habitat. The lack of reliable and flexible water management capability over half of the project area severely limits its effectiveness in providing feeding and resting habitat for the 2.7 million annual waterfowl use days. Habitat degradation also has negatively affected the other migratory and resident species using the facility. The project goals are to enhance wetland, aquatic, and floodplain terrestrial habitat. Reestablishing the Hate Levee and installing a pumping facility for Big Lake would increase reliability and flexibility of water level management. Habitat would be improved for waterfowl, wading birds, shorebirds, and other wetland species that the area. Structures for fish passage and

Text Box: The Federal Office of Surface Mining has asked for letters and comments on how to strengthen oversight of State surface coal mining programs and to better regulate the protection of streams affected by surface coal mining operations. Go to www.osmre.gov and you will see a box on the left that asks for comments on Oversight of States Mining and says the date is Dec. 18th, but that has been extended to January 18th, 2010. You can make comments by going to Oversight@osmre.com or mail comments/letters to Administrative Record (MS 252 SIB) Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 1951 Constitution Ave. NW Washington, DC 20240. From the OSM webpage: “In other words, oversight includes inspections and other evaluations of how well state programs are ensuring environmental protection, reclamation success, and prevention of off-site impacts. It also includes providing training to state employees to help them do their jobs better and technical assistance, such as information technology and software, to improve both state capability and efficiency in processing permit applications and evaluating reclamation” Please let them know of our dissatisfaction with the IDNR permitting process and how the State of Illinois is not well-run. Our hearing which is supposed to be within 30 days of the petition for Hearing is now over one year old. Mine permit granted in the Canton Lake watershed which is also the drinking water for 20,000 people in the City and six other communities. The applicant changes names often and the permits are not scrutinized for accuracy or detail and the hearing officer is employed or hired by the Department of Natural Resources so getting a fair hearing is an uphill battle. You can probably think of more things than I can– but let the OSM know of how frustrating this is for the common citizen to oppose a strip coal mine within an environmental fragile area. It takes lots of money to hire an attorney as the process is so complicated that the ordinary citizen cannot speak for themselves. The mine applicant is given 2-3 years make modifications to the permit-long after the public hearing. The modifications are never made to the public so they can have a chance to oppose them. Permit application has missing information or information that is not detailed nor provided by experts in the field of biology or water. The new Director of Office of Mines wants to update the rulemaking process for the mining permits and include the Clean Water Act. It is time for citizens to speak up. We have seen first hand how IDNR favors the coal companies and the residents of the state right’s are limited. Please let others in our group know of this opportunity to speak. I do not have everyone’s e-mail address.

Text Box: Reminder Please get your bald eagle petitions signed and mailed back to us. This is for asking FWS to place the bald eagle back on the Endangered Species List.

Text Box: We welcome Gerard Holland who has volunteered to fill Gene Small’s vacated position on ENF’s Board of Directors. At the Feb. 6 board meeting the board plans to change our By-Laws so we can accept Richard Briggs and Edward Kinsel, who have also volunteered to join our board. Thank You