As interest in northern white sand from the Illinois Valley continues to increase, a measure sponsored by state Rep. Frank Mautino to study the effects of these operations in LaSalle County and bordering counties is now law.
Senate Bill 1803 creates the Sand Mine and Transportation Study Act. The law requires the Illinois Department of Transportation to conduct a transportation study and issue a report on the effects of agricultural, manufacturing, mining and other industrial operations in LaSalle County and its bordering counties of Bureau, Livingston, Marshall and Putnam. The report will include the possible effects of these operations on area roadways, the potential for new rail terminals and the impact the mines will have on area state parks and local tourism. The study must to be completed by Jan. 1, 2017. State Sen. Sue Rezin sponsored the legislation in the Senate.
Mautino represents the 76th District, which includes all or portions of Bureau, LaSalle, Livingston and Putnam counties.
In other state news, state parks have a combined $720 million in repair needs, according to a new investigation.
The Better Government Association report says the Illinois Department of Natural Resources has been delaying maintenance projects for years, to the point where the total cost of completing repairs is more than double the department’s annual operating budget.
The majority of those needed repairs are for buildings and trails. BGA investigator Katie Drews recounts an example from the 26-mile-long Rock Island Trail, a hiking and biking path near Peoria.
The eroded section is closed off, but it also essentially cuts the usable portion of the trail in half.
Drews also mentions millions in maintenance needs at Illinois’ most visited state park, Starved Rock, including sewer repairs, campground upgrades, and roofs needing to be replaced.
Budget cuts and decreased staff at the DNR may be one reason why so many projects have been delayed, and Gov. Bruce Rauner had proposed reducing the DNR’s budget by another $16 million for this fiscal year.
