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Join a Delegation – Be Transformed!

One of the ingredients of change is to link information with moral principles.  We can all read about coal mining and its impacts on the air, land and water resources of an adjacent community.  But without seeing the destruction and meeting those impacted, we’re likely just to process what we read and move on.

Eco-Justice Collaborative regularly leads delegations to:

  • Montgomery and Macoupin Counties in south-central Illinois to showcase the impacts of longwall mining on some of the most important farmland in the world and the communities whose livelihood depends on this productive farmland.
  • Saline, Williamson and Gallitan Counties in southern Illinois to experience the beauty of the area and the landscape that is forever changed by strip mining.

Longwall and strip mining in Illinois are the state’s version of mountaintop removal mining.  The impacts are just as severe for those who are affected:

  • Planned subsidence associated with longwall mining lowers land 4 to 6 feet, causing prime farmland to pond and erode.  It also cracks building foundations and walls as the land continues to fall..
  • Strip mining destroys forest and farmland, and uses explosives to access coal seams,
  • Noise, vibrations and dust from coal mining operations (including truck traffic, coal storage, transport, and blasting); damaged or destroyed property; adverse travel for farmers and residents (rerouted drainage ditches, closed access roads); decreased property values; and overall diminished quality of life are among the impacts realized by those who choose not to move away.
  • Toxic wastes created from processing coal (all mining methods) are stored in huge impoundments that threaten communities’ drinking water supplies.  Some of these are classified by as high hazard, which means loss of property and life could occur if they break.

if you are interested in talking with residents directly affected, and learning about alternatives to coal, use this form to contact us today.

Photos that Tell the Story
Photos provide a snapshot of the destructive practices of strip mining in southern Illinois. Visit our flickr site for more, including photos that show the impacts of longwall mining in central Illinois.

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High Knob, sacred site of the Shawnee. April 2015 Delegation to Saline County, Southern Illinois. Photo by Pam Richart. Click image for annotated slideshow.

Videos that Feature Illinois Communities

Learn more about longwall mining and the impacts of coal on Illinois communities by watching the video below, and visiting Citizens Against Longwall Mining.